The European Commission proposals to reform the EU sugar regime will affect sugar industries across Africa, threatening some with serious disruption and a large cut in income. Since 1975, under the terms of the Sugar Protocol signed with the African, Caribbean and Pacific group (ACP) countries, the EU has guaranteed quotas and a minimum price for sugar exports from eleven African countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The guaranteed prices were set at the level of those paid to European farmers under the EU sugar subsidy regime, ensuring sugar exports received well above world prices for their commodity. Following a ruling from the WTO as well as internal pressures for reforms to the EU system of agricultural supports, the European Commission announced last month a series of proposed reforms which would see sugar subsidies in effect ended, and with it the Sugar Protocol. Those Afr...
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