Global Sugar Alliance members are active participants in processes to improve the world sugar trading environment. Members works closely together to ensure the fair and equal treatment of sugar in the WTO negotiations on agriculture.
GLOBAL ALLIANCE LOOKS FORWARD TO US SUGAR PARTICIPATION
Published: 29/11/1999 Source: Seattle Proceedings Origin: Australia Abstract: The recently formed influential international group Global Alliance for Sugar Trade Reform and Liberalisation confirmed its commitment to genuine free trade today in Seattle as the Chilean sugar industry announced its membership.
Full Article: The recently formed influential international group Global Alliance for Sugar Trade Reform and Liberalisation confirmed its commitment to genuine free trade today in Seattle as the Chilean sugar industry announced its membership.
Global Alliance for Sugar Trade Reform and Liberalisation spokesperson, Mr Bruce Vaughan said the announcement by the Chilean sugar industry that it would join with sugar producers and exporters from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Nicaragua, Panama and Thairland in pursuing sugar trade liberalisation was welcomed.
Responding to the American Sugar Alliance’s (ASA) comments on the formation of this group today, Mr Vaughan welcomed the ASA’s stated support for multilateral free trade in sugar. He said that if indeed the ASA’s support for reduction of barriers, price support and tariffs was genuine, he looked forward to opening dialogue with the group in the future.
“We look forward to these discussions as it is regrettable that there is misinformation from the ASA on the structure of the sugar industries in the various members of the Alliance,” Mr Vaughan said.
“The ASA’s members enjoy a privileged position under a sugar regime which restricts market access and prevents free trade.”
An independent study by US commodity analysts Sparks Companies Inc and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics estimates this protection at a direct cost of $1.5billion per annum to the US consumer, in addition to diverting sugar use to alternate sweeteners and depressing world sugar prices by 17 percent.
The weight of this protection by the United States falls on efficient sugar producers and exporters around the world,” Mr Vaughan said.
Mr Vaughan said support for the Global Alliance is expected to grow as sugar trade liberalisation is long overdue and there is no reasonable case for maintaining the current protectionist policies.
