Ref. Ares(2015)2648130 - 24/06/2015
Ref. Ares(2016)4918173 - 01/09/2016
Subject:
US TTIP - meeting with CIBE 13 Sept 2013
Meeting with the International Confederation of European Beet Growers (CIBE) – 13
September 2013
CIBE:
DG AGRI: John Clarke (JAC),
(A2),
(C5); DG Trade:
(D3)
CIBE representatives wished to express their concerns about the potential negative
impact of the TTIP agreement on the EU sugar beet sector. They have underlined the
particular challenges that the industry has to meet under the CAP reform in 2017. CIBE
argued that the uncertainty as regards the effect of the reform, lower competiveness of
the EU sugar sector compared to other international players, and unequal level playing
field with the US industry (regulatory regime in the US) provide grounds for excluding the
sector from liberalization under TTIP.
JAC assured the representatives that the Commission is well aware of the sensitivity of
the sector.
As the US industry is also seeking exclusion from
liberalization, he inquired CIBE about a potential reaction of the American government
to this claim.
In CIBE’s view the US sugar so far has been successful in defending its interests. They
industry has a defensive stance as already fully liberalized imports from Mexico have led
to an oversupply of sugar on the US market.
Inquired about a possible impact of liberalization under TTIP on the EU market, CIBE
pointed in particular to a lower competitiveness of the EU industry and the challenges it
will face after the reform and vis-à-vis third country competition. The US producers have
a lower energy costs and greater domestic support
the US is also a big sweetener
market, and liberalization of trade in isoglucose would definitely bring negative impacts.
The liberalization of the
sector would add more uncertainty to the challenge that the industry is facing in the
2017 reform.
CIBE also drew attention to the fact that 90% of US sugar beet production is GMO-sugar
(sugar beet production is 60% of the total US sugar production, the rest is cane sugar). It
inquired whether the EU policy as regards traceability and labelling commitments would
also apply to GMO sugar imported from the US.
European Commission
DG Agriculture and Rural Development
A.2 Industrialised countries, OECD