Leaving a bitter taste? : the EU sugar regime, 4th report of session 2012-13

This report is the conclusion of the Committee's short, follow-up inquiry following 2005's 'Too Much or Too Little?

Changes to the EU Sugar Regime', (HLP 80-I, 2005-06, ISBN 9780104007716) published when reform of the regime was imminent.

The Committee wanted to examine the progress of reform and what measures will be necessary in future, prior to the EU finalising its position on this issue in the autumn.

After the last set of reforms took place, the price of sugar in the EU decreased. However, this was just for the growers and the producers - the cost to the consumer actually increased, meaning they did not reap the benefits of the decrease in sugar prices.

The sugar market has very few significant operators.

For consumers primarily, but for the industry too, the pricing process needs clarity and transparency.

The Committee believes that an investigation by the UK's Office of Fair Trading would be an excellent way of providing independent advice to the Commission on how the process impacts on UK consumers. Other recommendations include the abolition of production quotas in 2015, that import tariffs on raw and refined sugar are eased and that the European Commission carefully monitors the disbursement of funding set aside to help lessen the impact of the 2006 reforms on developing countries to combat the delays that have been experienced thus far.