09/02/2007

Opening of duty free sugar import quota for industrial use

The sugar management committee yesterday voted on a Commission Regulation opening an import quota of 200,000 tonnes of sugar without import duties. The quota shall only be used for the manufacturing of industrial products (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, alcohol, bio-ethanol). This measure is taken in accordance with the Regulation on the common organisation of the markets in the sugar sector which stipulates that the Commission may suspend the application of import duties on certain quantities of sugar in order to guarantee the supply necessary for the manufacturing of industrial products. The Regulation enters into force after adoption by the Commission (in the next few weeks) and is limited to the 2006/07 marketing year.