19 March 2015
At their recent social dialogue plenary meeting, the social partners CEFS and EFFAT,
representing respectively employers and workers of the European sugar sector, expressed
their concerns about the difficult economic situation that the sector is facing, with many social
risks and economic uncertainties ahead of the end of the quota system in 2017.
The social partners welcomed the efforts by the European Commission to set up an Expert
group, following the debate held at the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers on 26 January, in
which several Ministers supported Italy’s call regarding measures which would ensure a
smooth transition towards ending the current sugar quota system in 2017.
In this spirit, the social partners voiced that the Expert group should seize the opportunity to
raise the discussions to the political level to take stock of the end of the quota system.
“During the past 30 years, the EU social dialogue in the sugar sector has strongly contributed
to the success of important reforms in the common market organisation of the sector. The
European social partners intend to continue contributing constructively to the implementation
of the current reform. But the social partners count on the EU Council and on the
Commission to give a clear signal that they will give the European sugar sector the lift it
needs to steer beyond a potentially very serious social and economic crisis” stated CEFS
and EFFAT Presidents in the sugar sector.
Media contact:
EFFAT: Estelle Brentnall or E.
CEFS: Oscar Ruiz or
