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This weblog shares information on key ACP-EU programmes and events from Brussels relevant to agriculture and rural development in ACP countries.
Date : [DATE] CTA Brussels Newsletter
Main events in the week
- Main ACP-EU events for the week from 26/09 to 02/10/2011
- Our video guest: Reinhard Bütikofer, Green MEP
- ACP fosters new alliance with leading African development agency
- ACP queries European bid to abolish sugar quotas
- Somalia ranked as world’s most food insecure country
- Special Representative to the African Union
- Energy use of biomass of agricultural origin
- Don't judge us, Zimbabwe tells EU
- EU supports AU-EAC peace and security agreement
- WTO Public Forum seeks answers to global trade challenges
- Commission sets out the path to resource-efficient growth
- CAP reform: Up to 50% of subsidies could be made conditional
- Launch of the Economics of Land Degradation initiative
- Ghana: Civil society organisations intensify fight against EPAs
- France steps up support for financial transaction tax
- Caricom Secretariat and IICA move to strengthen cooperation
- Belgium: Fair trade week from 5 to 15 October
- EP adopts Commission proposal for stronger EU border management agency
- Report: Europe's oceans changing at unprecedented rate
- Oceana report: True amount of EU fishing sector subsidies to be €3.3 billion
- Parliament calls for greater EU clout over raw materials
- Public consultation on 20 potential substances of very high concern
- 66th UN General Assembly: EU high level presence in New York
- EU sugar refiners want EU to abolish duty on sugar imports
- Main ACP-EU events for the week from 26/09 to 02/10/2011
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Rural development, Aid effectiveness, Environment, Archive, Regional Fisheries, Food Security, Food Policy, ACP-EU Policy
European Parliament -26-29 September: European Parliament Plenary Session (Strasbourg) -26-29 September: Committees in the European Parliament (Strasbourg) Council of Ministers -26 September: Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) -28 September: Coreper I, Coreper II European Commission -27 September: Weekly meeting of the college (Strasbourg) You can also read our newspaper “CTA Brussels Daily” (fed by our Twitter account), follow our new Facebook group CTABrussels and our Twitter account CTABrussels to receive up-to-date information on EU-ACP events. European Parliament Council of Ministers European Commission
- Our video guest: Reinhard Bütikofer, Green MEP
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Rural development, Food Security
Reinhard Bütikofer is a Member of the European Parliament from the Green group. He is the rapporteur of a recent report on raw materials that was approved by the Plenary. In our interview, he speaks about the implications of the EU raw materials strategy and of his report on Africa. Watch the video Mr Bütikofer's raw material report adopted by Parliament EU raw materials strategy
- ACP fosters new alliance with leading African development agency
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Policy
A special guest at the Committee of Ambassadors last week highlighted the powerful potential for partnership between the ACP Group and Africa’s major development organization. CEO of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency (NEPAD) Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki was invited to speak to Ambassadors about the work of NEPAD and possible areas of cooperation.
“I am very humbled and pleased at the opportunity to have NEPAD represented here today, and to have NEPAD at your humble service, in the spirit of solidarity and South-South cooperation,” said Dr. Mayaki. Adopted in 2001 by African leaders, NEPAD is a programme of the African Union (AU) with the primary objectives of poverty eradication, promotion of sustainable growth and development, and the empowerment of women through building genuine partnerships at country, regional and global levels. It is the leading agency facilitating key development projects in the region.
Dr Mayaki said NEPAD’s current priorities lay in agricultural and infrastructural development, with both having its own strategic framework underway. South-South cooperation amongst ACP as well as non-ACP regions was also a focus area. He said partnership with ACP will allow for valuable exchange of information and knowledge, and can help in securing resources for development projects in African states.
Source: ACP Secretariat Read more NEPAD Brussels Briefing on Rural transformations
- ACP queries European bid to abolish sugar quotas
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Food Policy
The ACP Sugar Group has recently been made aware through media reports of an “impact study” made by and for the European Commission. This study refers to proposals for changes in the European sugar regime. Though Commission consultations appear to be on-going, the press presents these proposals as those the Commission favours. It is hoped that this is not accurate as some of the key assumptions and results are more than questionable.
In particular, the document advocates the abolition of sugar production quotas. Many concerns mentioned in the study, such as worries about world food supplies and prices, cannot be addressed by this measure. The study acknowledges that this “action” will increase market volatility which seems to run counter to the more general aim of EU reform. Moreover, an abolition of quotas is contrary to the wishes of a majority of industry stakeholders, including the European Parliament’s agricultural committee, European beet growers, the ACP Group of countries and Least Developed Countries.
Structurally, the current sugar regime has shown its capacity to properly manage extreme world market disruptions, by ensuring a safe and reasonably-priced supply of sugar to European consumers. The European Commission’s own data show how average prices in the EU have been protected against the wild fluctuations and rapid increases that have plagued sugar markets recently. Moreover, the current sugar regime, which provides the basis upon which domestic EU producers, traditional foreign suppliers and the poorest countries have already invested in efficiency improvements needed to safeguard the consumer, is only five years old. Indeed, it is less than two years since the major cut in support prices occurred: surely not time enough to declare it a failure or obsolete.
In keeping with the EU’s international commitments in the Cotonou Agreement and the Economic Partnership Agreements, and in view of the apparent lack of coherence between the sugar regime proposals and the EU’s development policy and trade commitments, the ACP Sugar Group urges the Commission to engage the ACP Group at the earliest opportunity in meaningful and official discussions of an analysis of any proposals for changes in the EU sugar regime.
Source: ACP Secretariat Read more EU sugar refiners want to abolish sugar import duty Interview: ACP sugar research programme
- Somalia ranked as world’s most food insecure country
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Food Security, Food Policy
A new study assessing the availability and stability of food supplies in 196 countries has rated the food security of Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as the lowest in the world, while countries in the drought stricken Horn of Africa are also at “extreme risk”.
The Food Security Risk Index (FSRI), released by risk analysis and mapping company Maplecroft, is based on the key elements of food security as laid out by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). It is calculated using 12 indicators, measuring the availability, access and stability of food supplies across all countries, as well as the nutritional and health status of populations.
According to the FSRI, a number of critical factors have combined to intensify the current food crisis affecting countries in the Horn of Africa, including Somalia (ranked joint 1st), Eritrea (4), Ethiopia (7) and Djibouti. These countries, along with much of Sub-Saharan Africa, are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity.
Source: Agra-Net Read more S&D: Stop food speculation and bring real help Somalia: Food aid stolen
- Special Representative to the African Union
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Policy
The 3110th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 20 September 2011 updated the mandate of Mr Koen Vervaeke, EU Special Representative to the African Union and extended it until 30 June 2012. It set the budget for expenditure related to the Special Representative and his team at EUR 715 000 for the period from 1 September 2011 until 30 June 2012.
Source: Council of Ministers Read more [PDF] Profile: Koen Vervaeke African Union
- Energy use of biomass of agricultural origin
2011-09-23 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, Environment
At the 3110th Council meeting on Agriculture and Fisheries held in Brussels on 20 September 2011, the ministers held an exchange of views on the “Energy use of biomass of agricultural origin as an important element of the Common Agricultural Policy” (13910/11). All delegations welcomed the initiative from the Presidency to initiate a debate on how agriculture should contribute to the objectives of the Strategy 2020 concerning climate change.
Concerning the role of CAP in supporting sustainable development of renewable energy sources in rural areas, a large majority delegations recalled that the main role of agriculture in the EU treaties is to provide food to the European citizens. Any specific agricultural policy on biomass should not be detrimental to this objective. For this reason, such a policy should focus on a better use of byproducts and residues of agriculture and the agri-food industry.
If many Member States were in favour of the development of dispersed renewable energy sources using locally available biomass resources, they noted that should be correctly planned in order to provide efficient replies to the needs.
On the question to know if climate and economic reasons sufficiently justify obtaining increasing quantities of biomass for energy purposes from distant locations (e.g.: by imports from third countries) most of the member states highlighted that this is not desirable. Certain delegations noted that this issue should be assessed to know the exact carbon cost of this imports. Many member states consider that the CAP, in its second pillar dedicated to rural development, provides already measures for taking into account the inclusion of the EU climate objectives in the agriculture.
Source: Council of Ministers Read more [PDF] Europe 2020 Strategy EU Biomass Action Plan
- Don't judge us, Zimbabwe tells EU
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, ACP-EU Policy
The "Global Political Agreement" (GPA) is an internal political arrangement which Europeans should never use as a pre-condition for the removal of illegal economic sanctions they imposed on Zimbabwe, President Mugabe has said. The President said this soon after meeting European External Action Services managing director for Africa, Mr Nicholas Westcott at State House in Harare.
A source that attended the meeting said President Mugabe said this after Mr Westcott had called for the implementation of the GPA as a pre-condition for the removal of sanctions.
"President Mugabe told him (Mr Westcott) that sanctions came before the GPA and he gave him a background on the land reform and how it triggered the sanctions.
Source: AllAfrica/The Herald Read more Read the Global Political Agreement [PDF] EU Delegation to Zimbabwe
- EU supports AU-EAC peace and security agreement
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, Archive, ACP-EU Policy
The African Union and the East African Community Monday signed an agreement worth 3,415,489 Euros for the implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in the East African region. The first phase of the APSA support covers a period of one year.
The European Union is supporting the APSA programme for Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms (RMs) through AU with a financial envelope of 40 million Euros over a period of 44 months beginning 1 May 2011.
The objective of the programme is to increase the RECs capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts, according to Mr Abdul Janha, the Project Monitoring Unit Co-ordinator of the African Union Commission, who witnessed the signing at the EAC Secretariat in Arusha, Tanzania.
Source: Star Africa Read more Delegation of the EU to the African Union African Union
- WTO Public Forum seeks answers to global trade challenges
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Food Security, Environment
Over 200 panellists and some 1,500 participants sought answers to global trade challenges at this year’s WTO Public Forum, held at WTO Headquarters from 19 to 21 September.
This year's discussions focused on four core themes:
- Food security: what role can trade play in ensuring food security?
- Trade in natural resources: how does trade affect the sustainability of natural resources?
- “Made in the World”: more and more products are “Made in the World” rather than “Made in the UK” or “Made in France”. How does measuring trade flows in added value terms affect the way we analyse international economics and conduct trade policy?
- What next for the international trading system?
Some 46 sessions have been organized over the three days of the Forum to focus on these themes.
Source: WTO Read more More information EU Delegation at the WTO
- Commission sets out the path to resource-efficient growth
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Rural development, Environment, Food Security
The European Commission set out a 'roadmap' aimed at transforming Europe's economy into a sustainable one by 2050. The Roadmap to a resource-efficient Europe outlines how we can achieve the resource efficient growth which is essential for our future wellbeing and prosperity. The roadmap identifies the economic sectors that consume the most resources, and suggests tools and indicators to help guide action in Europe and internationally. It is an agenda for competitiveness and growth based on using fewer resources when we produce and consume goods and creating business and job opportunities from activities such as recycling, better product design, materials substitution and eco-engineering.
Rising demand around the globe is increasing pressure on the environment, and creating greater competition for resources. Key natural resources such as raw materials, metals, energy, biodiversity and water have been used to fuel economic growth as though supplies were inexhaustible. This is not sustainable in the long term. The roadmap puts forward the means by which we can continue to achieve growth in a sustainable way. […]
The roadmap aims to address resource inefficiency in the sectors that are responsible for the greatest share of environmental impacts – namely food, buildings and mobility, whose combined effects account for 70-80 % of all environmental impacts.
The importance of managing the natural resources that underpin our economy more efficiently is also stressed. Pressures on resources like biodiversity, soil and climate are constantly increasing, and a failure to meet the existing goals could spell disaster in the longer term.
Source: European Commission Read more Read the roadmap Parliament passes raw materials report
- CAP reform: Up to 50% of subsidies could be made conditional
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, Environment, Food Policy, Food Security
The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be reformed in 2014 and the proposals for the reform will be published in October, but some leaks have already occurred. Over the summer, information has been circulated according to which Brussels plans to cap and phase down agricultural aid. Recently, the European agriculture commissioner Dacian Ciolos announced that 30% of all subsidies will be conditional upon environmental criteria.
Source: Euractiv.fr Read more [FR] EU under fire for watering down CAP reform plans Commission: The CAP post-2013
- Launch of the Economics of Land Degradation initiative
2011-09-22 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development
In New York, European Development Commissioner Piebalgs participated in the launch of the Economics of Land Degradation (ELD) initiative. This event is taking place in the context of an UN-sponsored meeting to address land degradation and desertification. The ELD initiative will be a comprehensive assessment of land degradation that looks both at the costs of failing to prevent further land degradation and at the economic benefits of addressing it through sustainable land management policies.
In his speech Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said: "Land degradation is a serious global issue, which has a significant impact on food security, climate change and biodiversity loss. I hope the study will find a broad coalition of partners to give it the further impetus it requires and the impact that the issues deserve."
Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said: "We tend to take soil for granted. But soil is a non-renewable resource so could actually run out or become impoverished if we do not take proper care of it. We are all affected by land degradation, directly or indirectly, but have little idea of the actual costs, so this is a very welcome initiative."
Land degradation is a growing problem around the world. The proportion of land subject to desertification and land degradation is increasing year by year. There are a number of pressures driving this trend, including unsustainable land use as a result of demographic changes, unsustainable consumption and production patterns and growing pressure on water sources, exacerbated by climatic changes and drought.
The problem does not just affect arid zones. Within the EU, some 12 Member States have declared themselves affected by desertification and almost half of European soils are now poor in organic matter.
In order to address the problems there is a need for more coherent policies worldwide and for measures in affected countries to address the issue at an early stage. The EU sees the ELD initiative as a means of developing a clearer understanding of the full costs of land degradation and is therefore actively involved. The global study should raise awareness of this issue and help policy-makers in affected countries to implement effective strategies to address the problem. It will also help the private sector to set out clearly incentives for investment in sustainable land management policies. The aim is to build on our experience with similar reports on the costs of climate change and the economic value of biodiversity.
Source: European Commission
Read more Booklet: EU action against land degradation Desertification in ACP countries
- Ghana: Civil society organisations intensify fight against EPAs
2011-09-21 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) across the country have intensified their fight against the Economic Partnership Agreements saying they are inimical to the long-term development aspirations of the nation. For the second time in a month, civil society organizations have appealed to the government to be assertive and not buckle under pressure from the powers that be to take decisions that will only benefit the people of other nations and impoverish Ghanaians. The Economic Partnership Agreements are a scheme to create a free trade area between the European Union (EU), and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. One of the essential elements of the EPAs is reciprocity in trade between the parties involved. The agreements have remained a thorny issue in some ACP countries, triggering demonstrations in Ghana in 2007 when the government of Ghana initialed an Interim EPA. Since then, activists have raised the pitch of their voices, folded the sleeves of their shirts and sharpened their weapons in the fight against the agreements.
Source: My Joy Online Read more EU-West Africa Trade Negotiations Ghana to sign interim EPA with EU
- France steps up support for financial transaction tax
2011-09-21 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, Environment
If governments could find trillions of dollars to support banks and the global financial system in 2009, why can’t they raise enough money to help eradicate extreme poverty? This is the question that supporters of a financial transaction tax (FTT) are asking in France, as lawmakers debate introducing such a levy to help fund development at home and abroad. "If we were able to have the solidarity for the financial system, I cannot believe that we can’t find ways and means now to have enough money to really fight against extreme poverty," says Arielle de Rothschild, French investment banker and chairperson of the humanitarian organisation CARE France.
Source: IPS News Read more European Parliament calls for FTT French G20 Presidency
- Caricom Secretariat and IICA move to strengthen cooperation
2011-09-21 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Rural development, ACP-EU Policy
Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin LaRocque welcomed the Director General of the Inter-American Institute of for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) Dr Victor Villalobos as his first visitor from an institution since assuming office on 15 August. […]
Director-General Villalobos said one of the main reasons for his visit was to express IICA’s interest to continue working with the Secretariat as he was convinced that nothing could be achieved in the development of the agriculture sector without the willingness of all parties to work together. “No single institution can develop agriculture on its own. There must be complementarity going forward,” the Director General said.
He assured the Secretary-General that he could count on IICA as they discussed projects and proposals some of which were already underway in the Community, including Women and Youth in Agriculture. He also expressed appreciation in the confidence placed in IICA for the implementation of two projects funded by the European Union (EU) under the 10th EDF totalling 20 million euros and which were due to start early in 2012. These are an Intra-ACP Agriculture Policy Programme amounting to 8.5 mn euros) and a Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) Programme (11.6 mn euros).
Source: Caricom Read more IICA European Development Fund
- Belgium: Fair trade week from 5 to 15 October
2011-09-21 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade
The Belgian Cooperation is celebrating Fair Trade Week 2011 from 5 to 15 October. On 5 October, it will st art a brand new Fair Trade Week campaign. With the slogan “Replace from now on 1 product by 1 fair trade product!”, the Belgian Cooperation wants to show that choosing fair trade is not difficult. It does not require a complete change of habits. By replacing one of the products on one’s shopping list by a Fair Trade product every time one goes to the store, everybody starts to make a different.
For ten days, the Belgian Cooperation organises several activities in the whole of Belgium, among others concerts, tastings, games, breakfast and more. In Brussels, for example, it organises a Fair Trade breakfast with the participation of fair trade producers from the South. The breakfast will take place on 13 October at the European Parliament and start at 8.30 a.m. Other activities can be seen here.
Source: BTC Read more EU position on Fair Trade European free trade project for Cotton
- EP adopts Commission proposal for stronger EU border management agency
2011-09-20 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Archive
The European Parliament adopted the European Commission's proposal to strengthen the European Union's border management agency (Frontex). Frontex will have more equipment and personnel from Member States at its disposal, thus enabling it to better coordinate the border patrol operations of EU Member States.
"Travel flows are increasing and security threats need to be addressed in the most effective manner. The EU needs to commit to continuous improvements and be ready to adapt to new challenges and an ever changing reality, while fully respecting the rights of people fleeing war and persecution and looking to Europe for protection," said Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs. "Against this backdrop, the amended Regulation contains important changes that will strengthen safeguards so as to guarantee the full respect of fundamental rights and improve the ability of Frontex to support Member States more efficiently and more independently. The Commission therefore welcomes the European Parliament's support for a stronger and more efficient Frontex."
Source: European Commission Read more Further information Read the resolution
- Report: Europe's oceans changing at unprecedented rate
2011-09-20 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment, Regional Fisheries
Europe's seas are changing at an unprecedented rate as ice sheets melt, temperatures rise and marine life migrates due to climate change, a report by the Climate Change and European Marine Ecosystem Research (CLAMER) project warned.
Scientists examined a mass of EU-funded research on the impacts of climate change on Europe's marine environment and identified the gaps and priorities for future work.
Source: Reuters Read more Download the report Commission: CFP Reform
- Oceana report: True amount of EU fishing sector subsidies to be €3.3 billion
2011-09-20 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Regional Fisheries
Oceana published a report on the true amount of subsidies provided to the fishing sector by the European Union (EU) and its Member States. The international marine conservation organization reveals that EU fisheries subsidies are more than three times greater than the number generally provided by the Commission, which only takes into account payments from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF), and not those given to the sector by individual Member States. In 2009, subsidies to the fishing sector totalled € 3.3 billion, and in 13 Member States, the amount they were given in subsidies was higher than the total value of their fish landings.
Finland and Germany’s fishing sector for example, received respectively three and 1.5 times more in subsidies than the value of their landed catch. The fishing sectors of Spain, France, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Italy received the most fishing subsidies, totalling of € 1.9 billion.
“The fisheries sector, which often fails to generate profit, owes its life to generous subsidies schemes,” says Anne Schroeer, Baltic Sea Project manager at Oceana Europe. “The EU fishing industry’s addiction to European taxpayer funded subsidies has led to overfishing, fleet overcapitalization, reduced economic efficiency in the sector and the failure to obtain the potential economic benefits from the resource.”
Source: Oceana
Read more Read the report Joint German NGOs position on CFP
- Parliament calls for greater EU clout over raw materials
2011-09-19 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade
The European Union should establish specific decision-making mechanisms to deal with raw materials issues and coordinate action between member states, the European Parliament said on 13 September.
The Parliament adopted on Tuesday a non-binding resolution on the EU's raw materials strategy, presented by the European Commission earlier in February. The report, drafted by Green German MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, calls for greater EU coordination on raw materials policy, particularly on the external dimension.
Source: Euractiv Read more Read the resolution Commission: Raw materials
- Public consultation on 20 potential substances of very high concern
2011-09-19 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade, Environment
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published proposals to identify 20 chemicals as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and thus as possible candidates for authorisation. From the last publication six months ago, the number of dossiers has more than doubled. The detailed proposals are available on the ECHA website. Interested parties are invited to comment on the proposals by 13 October 2011.
Several Member States and ECHA (at the request of the European Commission) have put forward proposals to identify 20 chemical substances as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). Anyone can comment on these proposals within the next 45 days. The names of the substances, the reasons for their proposal as SVHC and their uses are provided in the attached table.
Source: ECHA Read more ECHA Commission: Chemical trade
- 66th UN General Assembly: EU high level presence in New York
2011-09-19 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : Environment
The beginning of the 66th UN General Assembly will be marked with the traditional General Debate. This will be the first General Debate since the adoption of the historic resolution 65/276 in May, under which the EU statement in the General Debate will be delivered for the first time by the President of the European Council.
In addition to President Van Rompuy’s presence during the so-called ministerial week, the EU will be represented by the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, High-Representative/Vice-President Ashton, as well as by Commissioners Piebalgs, Dalli, Georgieva and Hedegaard.
President Barroso will participate in a number of high-level events such as:
- the Leaders’ Dialogue on Climate Change, sponsored by President Zuma of South Africa and President Calderón of Mexico, where Heads of State and Government will discuss the preparation for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference in Durban in November this year; […]
- the Executive Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative, where President Barroso will present the EU's leading work on resource efficiency and the green economy in the framework of the Europe 2020 Strategy.
President Barroso will also hold bilateral meetings with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and a number of Heads of State and Government.
Source: European Commission Read more United Nations General Assembly Climate change conference in Durban
- EU sugar refiners want EU to abolish duty on sugar imports
2011-09-19 NEWSLETTER_CATEGORIES : ACP-EU Trade
The European Union should abolish a 98 euros ($137) a metric ton duty on sugar imports from a group of countries including Brazil and Australia to ensure refiners have “fair access” to raw materials, an industry group said. The EU suspended the so-called CXL duty from December 2010 to August this year as it would prohibit the imports under quotas, European Commission spokesman Roger Waite said in April. The EU allowed 500,000 tons of duty-free imports earlier this year, to deal with a shortage of sugar. “It is essential that European cane sugar refiners have fair access to sufficient raw sugar at competitive prices,” Joao Pereira, chairman of the European Sugar Refiners’ Association, wrote in an e-mailed statement today. “ESRA urges the Commission to permanently abolish the CXL sugar import duty.” [...] Supplies of raw sugar in the EU fell short of demand after the price in the world market became more advantageous than the price in the bloc, leading countries that usually export the sweetener to the 27-member states to ship elsewhere.
Source: Black Sea Grain Read more ACP Sugar Research Programme Lobby: Critical EU sugar supplies demand action
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Isolina BOTO CTA 39 rue Montoyer 1000 Brussels Belgium Tel 02 513 74 36 Fax 02 511 38 68 http://www.cta.int/ http://bruxelles.cta.int/
Editor: André Feldhof (feldhof@cta.int)
NOTE If you have questions or suggestions, please write to us at : boto@cta.int For more information on the full range of CTA activities please go to http://www.cta.int/ More information on CTA activities in Brussels at : http://brussels.cta.int/ CTA is an institution of the ACP Group of States (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) and the EU (European Union), in the framework of the Cotonou Agreement and is financed by the EU. Copyright © 2011 Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU. Email:cta@cta.int The opinions expressed in the comments and analysis are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of CTA.
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