News

Quick help is needed for those most in need!

2020. 04. 17.

The European Parliament voted to amend the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) so that the fund can also be used for protection equipment against the coronavirus epidemic, thus making food distribution safer. In addition, those in need can receive vouchers that can be exchanged for basic consumer goods. Fidesz MEP Ádám Kósa emphasized that support of the most deprived people cannot be interrupted due to the risk of infection. “The crisis poses greater risk to the most vulnerable: they experience deprivation on a daily basis if we do not help quickly, in a flexible and situation-specific manner”, pointed out MEP Kósa.

The Fidesz MEP welcomed the decision of the plenary session to amend the rules of FEAD in an urgent procedure. As a result, during the Covid-19 crisis in addition to food and basic financial support, the FEAD will also cover epidemic protection equipment, with a temporary 100% EU funding.

The FEAD supports measures by which EU Member States provide food and other basic consumer goods (for example footwear, soap and shampoo) to the most deprived social groups. In practice, this usually means distributing food through free kitchens. “Because of the rules of the epidemic and social distancing, we need to find new ways to distribute food because people can’t gather next to a goulash cannon like they used to. So, there is a need to change the way aid is delivered: delivering unit packages or distributing vouchers is a better way doing it in the current situation. Appropriate protective equipment is also required for food distribution”, underlined MEP Ádám Kósa. In Hungary, the introduction of electronic vouchers based on the original draft of the European Commission would be difficult and time-consuming, therefore Hungary’s request to use a paper-based voucher instead, is respected in the accepted text.