In accordance with Article 23(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, as a condition for participating in the school scheme, Member States are to draw up a strategy at national or regional level for the implementation of the school scheme prior to participation in the school scheme. A new strategy is to be drawn up every 6 years. Where Member States decide to implement the school scheme at regional level, they are to draw up a strategy for each region and provide for a coordination framework, according to their provisions or procedures. They are to establish a single contact point for the exchange of information with the Commission in order to facilitate the Commission in assessing the strategies and in monitoring and evaluating the implementation in the Member State concerned. It is also appropriate to establish provisions defining the deadlines by which the strategy and any consequent amendments are to be submitted to the Commission.

Specific conditions should be established for the design and application of the accompanying educational measures, in particular as regards the need to support distribution of products. The possibility that those measures could also involve teachers and parents should be allowed, with a view to enhancing the effectiveness of those measures and the overall effectiveness of the school scheme.

In the interest of legal certainty, it is appropriate to specify the costs incurred for the implementation of the school scheme that are eligible for Union aid.

In the interest of sound administration, budget management and supervision, the conditions for granting aid and for the selection and approval of aid applicants should be specified.

Specific conditions should be established for the suspension and withdrawal of approval and for the administrative penalties to be imposed on aid applicants that fail to comply with the obligations laid down under the school scheme.

In order to assess the effectiveness of the school scheme, to allow peer review and the exchange of good practices, Member States should monitor and evaluate the implementation of the school scheme on a regular basis and send their results to the Commission. For that purpose, the nature and the type of information in the monitoring reports should be specified. Furthermore, a failure by the Member States to comply with the monitoring and evaluation requirements may jeopardise the assessment of the effectiveness of the school scheme and the assurance on the correct management of Union aid. Provisions should therefore be established for a dissuasive reduction in aid to be applied by the Commission where a Member State is late in submitting the evaluation report.

With a view to an effective monitoring and evaluation of the school scheme, the nature and type of information to be notified to the Commission by the Member States should be specified.

In order to ensure that products distributed under the school scheme meet the objectives of promoting healthy eating habits and ensuring children become accustomed to the natural taste of those products, it is appropriate to specify that the maximum level of added sugar in products referred to in Article 23(4) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, for which the addition of sugar is not technically necessary to prepare or manufacture them, should be zero.

In order to ensure that products distributed under the school scheme meet the objectives of promoting healthy eating habits, it is appropriate to specify the maximum level of added sugar and/or honey in products listed in Annex V to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 that Member States may allow. Member States may provide for lower limits.

Specific conditions should be established to ensure there is added value and visibility of the Union school scheme when products receiving Union aid under the school scheme are distributed with regular school meals in educational establishments.

In accordance with Article 23a(8) of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Member States are to publicise their involvement in the school scheme and the fact that it is subsidised by the Union. For that purpose, Member States should be able to use a poster to be exhibited in participating educational establishments. The poster should be produced in compliance with certain minimum requirements.