(30/11/04) Hervorming EU-suikermarkt moet rekening houden met ecologische EN sociale factoren

• 2004-11-30

Prijsdalingen en het volledig vrijmaken van de handel vormen niet de methode om het EU-suikerbeleid te hervormen. De suikerproductie binnen Europa en de import vanuit ontwikkelingslanden hebben een toekomst wanneer ook rekening wordt gehouden met eocologische en sociale factoren. Europa kan bv. vragen dat suiker die geproduceerd is onder onmenselijke omstandigheden of op een manier die niet in het minst rekening houdt met het milieu niet zou worden toegelaten. Het is overigens een illusie dat de Europese consumenten plots zouden profiteren van een veel lagere suikerprijs.

Reform of the EU sugar market:
Less is more, for the developing world and for Europe

Europe's sugar market is in need of urgent reform. But the European Commission's recent proposal is headed in the wrong direction. Radically cutting prices and liberalising trade is not the right cure; supply management and qualified external protection is a better solution. Sugar production within the European Union and imports from developing countries will only provide a reasonable outlook for farmers in both places if social and ecological factors determine the manner and the quantities in which sugar is produced.

Speaking after a hearing on sugar market reform in the European Parliament today, Caroline Lucas UK MEP and member of the Parliament’s Committee on International Trade, explained:

"First of all, the EU must stop dumping. This means abandoning the measures that decrease the price of sugar in the world market; principally 'C-quota' export subsidies. The EU should then negotiate with the sugar producing African, Caribbean, Pacific and least developed countries, to introduce additional quantities which could be imported without destroying the livelihoods of small European farmers. We suggest reducing the EU's sugar quota by 25% in favour of the developing countries. We also want a better distribution of quotas in order to allow more developing countries to profit from the relatively high EU sugar price."

The Greens/EFA have proposed a system of 'qualified external protection' whereby imports of sugar would be prevented when production was based on environmental degradation and poor wages.

"A levy would be imposed on all imports into the EU which do not respect these standards," Caroline Lucas continued, "and funds resulting from this measure would be transferred to developing countries in order to diversify agricultural production and to improve social and ecological standards there. Provided that the EU did not cut prices, an additional €1.3bn would be available for these funds."

"We must enable developing countries to generate more income from sugar-cane. But we cannot expect that price cuts and liberalisation of trade in sugar would really help these countries. Small-scale farmers and farm workers in Brazil will not benefit if multinational sugar industries can conquer the European sugar market from Brazilian territory. Sugar industries are currently moving to Brazil encouraged by low wages and weak environmental legislation."

"It is an illusion to believe that a lower sugar-price in the EU would benefit European consumers. Any addition profits would remain in the hands of the sugar processing industry. In Brazil, Coca-Cola is more expensive than in the EU while raw sugar is much cheaper there. In Europe, sugar is so cheap that excessive quantities are already being added to our daily food."

23 september 2003: Europese Commissie opent debat hervorming suikerbeleid

14 juli 2004: De Commissie stelt een (naar eigen zeggen) meer op de markt, de consument en de handel gerichte suikerregeling voor