EU urged to reveal sugar plans

THE sugar processing industry in Ireland must now be given a clear indication of how the European Commission plans to deal with the sector, MEP Mairead McGuinness said yesterday.

The Ireland East MEP made the call, following last week’s ruling by the World Trade Organisation that the EU was illegally pushing subsidised sugar on to the world market.

EU Farm Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said she will take account of the WTO verdict when she finalises the reform proposals, which will be published on June 22.

Ms McGuinness said there are huge issues for Irish beet growers and the last remaining sugar processing plant.

“When I came to Brussels last July as a newly elected member of the European Parliament, I was informed unofficially that Ireland would have no sugar processing industry at farm or factory level within five years. The WTO ruling could make that dark prediction a reality, unless the Commission acts to safeguard the industry in Ireland. Closing the last remaining plant based in Mallow would be a disaster,” Ms McGuinness said.

She said the need for reform of the sugar regime was never in doubt, but it must be done in a way which minimises the impact on farming and the processing sector, while recognising EU obligations to the developing world.

Ms Fischer Boel and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson met with various negotiating groups in Paris yesterday evening ahead of a mini-ministerial meeting today of about thirty WTO member states, who will attempt to make new progress on various issues including agriculture.

The meeting is seen as an important step on the road to the Hong Kong WTO talks in December.