EC COLD AID FOOD SCHEME MAY BE MADE PERMANENT Emergency action to distribute European Community (EC) food surpluses to the poor has proved so successful that the EC executive Commission may propose a permanent scheme, a Commission spokesman said. Almost 60,000 tonnes of food was taken out of EC stores between January 20, when Agriculture Ministers approved the scheme, and March 13, according to latest commission figures. The food, including 30,000 tonnes of cereals, 6,000 tonnes of sugar, 4,000 tonnes of beef and 13,300 tonnes of butter, has been distributed to the needy through charities. The present scheme was approved as an emergency measure to help poor people affected by this year's unusually cold winter and will end on March 31. But the spokesman said the commission will consider whether to propose it be replaced by an all-year-round system. The commission estimates that up to March 13 the temporary scheme cost between 63 and 68 mln European currency units (72/78 mln dlrs). This is above the 50 mln Ecu (57 mln dlr) ceiling originally envisaged by the Ministers. However, commission sources said the real cost was small if account is taken of the expense of keeping food in store until its quality and value deteriorates. On the other hand, the impact of the temporary scheme on EC food surpluses has been slight. EC surplus food stocks at January 31 included 1.28 mln tonnes of butter, 520,000 tonnes of beef and over 10 mln tonnes of cereals.