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.
Published: 06/07/2006 Abstract: A key issue for sugar is the abolition of the Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG).
?The SSG, introduced as a temporary measure in the Uruguay Round to facilitate transition, must be abolished?, Mr De Lacy said.
?The SSG is a third tier duty specifically designed to block market access.?
Full Article: Meeting in Geneva, the Global Sugar Alliance stressed the importance of WTO negotiators acting now. The opportunity must not be lost. Global Sugar Alliance Chairman, Mr Keith De Lacy said “the Doha Round must be successful and it must create significant new commercial opportunities”. A key issue for sugar is the abolition of the Special Agricultural Safeguard (SSG). “The SSG, introduced as a temporary measure in the Uruguay Round to facilitate transition, must be abolished”, Mr De Lacy said. “The SSG is a third tier duty specifically designed to block market access.” It is a prohibitive barrier to sugar trade. The European Union has the SSG in permanent operation to ensure there is no commercial opportunity for over quota sugar market access. In the USA, the SSG is applied in a manner that ensures over quota sugar trade can occur only in the most extreme and uneconomic market circumstances. While the SSG remains, even a 60% tariff cut in the Doha round will not be sufficient to provide opportunity for even one extra tonne of sugar to enter either the US or EU markets under normal market circumstances. Global Sugar Alliance Chairman, Mr Keith De Lacy said the world’s richest economies are seeking real increases in access to developing country markets for non-agricultural products. “They must stop the hypocrisy and deliver worthwhile increases in commercial access to their own agricultural markets. Agreeing to abolishing the SSG would be a sign of good faith and may help invigorate the Doha Round before its too late”, Mr De Lacy said. ENDS
