“Without needs the EU murders existences!“ is written in big letters on bills in my homevillage in Germany, which is dominated by agriculture. Most of the farmers earn at least some parts of their income out of selling sugar beets. On the other hand 1000km away in Brussels José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, who doesn’t miss to repeat in any interview the same requirenment: "It's not only about agriculture, it's about services, it's about industrial products, it's about intellectual property rights," he is insisting. The following Policy Paper is going to show why the sugar subsidies are such a sensitive and important issue and which results the forthcomming reforms of the Common Market Organization (CMO) for sugar will have.
On the 24th of November the European Union Agricultural Ministers agreed on a new cornerstone in the discussion about the reform of the CMO for sugar. Within the recent months the attention about this reform has grown constantly. On one side the affected farmers (especially in France and Germany) of the EU that didn’t want to give up the current status quo; on the other the developing countries that increase their pressure on the EU to open up markets. In respect of the negotiations in the current world trade rounds, which got stuck, the EU was obviously willing to sacrifice a pawn in order to strengthen its position in the negotiations of other (more profitable) topics (e.g. Trade and Services). Due to the delicate history with failures of the Ministerial Conferences in Seattle (3rdConference), the partial failure of Doha (4thConference) and finally Cancun (5thConference) the Honk Kong meeting should deliver a more significant outcome in this topic. Otherwise the whole GATT respectively the WTO-system might be on disposition. In addition it is important to note that the sugar sector is the only agricultural sector that hasn’t been affected by both of the two big WTO reforms in 1992 (McSharry Reform) and in 2003 at all. But why is the sugar production such a sensitive topic at all?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Some Background Information
- EU and the Role in the International Sugar Trade - The Status Quo.
- Imports
- Exports.
- Export Subsidies..
- WHO HAS TO PICK UP THE TAB?
- CONFLICTS ABOUT EU SUGAR "DUMPING".
- BRAZIL CLAIMS AT THE WTO AGAINST THE SUBVENTION OF SUGAR EXPORTS...
- ENVIRONMENT - ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT.........
- EVALUATION OF THE (SO FAR VALID) SUGAR MARKET REGULATION..
- SUGGESTIONS FROM MANY DIFFERENT PARTIES HAVE BEEN MADE WITHIN THE LAST YEARS.........
- EU and the Role in the International Sugar Trade
- FINALLY, THE CHANGE
- FURTHER RESULTS OF THE NEW STEP
- CONSEQUENCES FOR THE COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This policy paper analyzes the impact of the EU's sugar subsidies on the global sugar market and explores the consequences of the upcoming reform of the Common Market Organization (CMO) for sugar. The paper examines the historical background of the EU's sugar policies, including the motivations for its intervention and the effects of its trade practices, particularly on developing countries.
- The influence of the EU's sugar subsidies on the global sugar market
- The impact of the EU's sugar trade practices on developing countries
- The potential consequences of the upcoming reform of the CMO for sugar
- The role of international trade agreements and the WTO in shaping the EU's sugar policies
- The future of the European sugar industry and its relationship with global sugar producers
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the topic of the EU's sugar subsidies, highlighting their sensitivity and importance. It sets the context by discussing the ongoing debate surrounding the reform of the CMO for sugar and the pressures from developing countries for market liberalization.
- Some Background Information: This chapter provides a brief overview of the global sugar market, explaining the two main methods of sugar production (sugar beet and sugarcane) and outlining the geographical distribution of production. The chapter also discusses the historical development of competition between sugar beet and sugarcane producers, with a particular focus on the EU's role in intensifying this competition through its trade policies.
- EU and the Role in the International Sugar Trade - The Status Quo: This chapter delves into the EU's position within the global sugar market, exploring its significant role as a producer, importer, and exporter. It examines the impact of the EU's import and export policies, including the use of export subsidies and their consequences for developing countries. The chapter also discusses conflicts arising from the EU's sugar “dumping” practices and Brazil's complaints to the WTO regarding these subsidies. Additionally, the chapter briefly addresses the environmental implications of the EU's sugar policies.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This policy paper focuses on the international sugar trade, specifically the role of the EU as a major player in the market. Key topics include sugar subsidies, export subsidies, Common Market Organization (CMO), agricultural policies, developing countries, WTO, trade liberalization, sugar dumping, and the impact of trade policies on the environment.
- Citar trabajo
- Björn Eller (Autor), 2005, The EU and the World Market for Sugar - Finally Sweets for the Developing Countries?, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/50469
