19/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - Extension of the International Sugar Agreement. On Tuesday 18 January, the European Commission adopted a proposal that will allow the EU to vote in favour of a two-year prolongation (until the end of December 2013) of the International Sugar Agreement. This entered into force on 1 January 1993 for a period of three years until 31 December 1995. Since then it has been regularly extended for further periods of two years. The last time the Agreement was extended was in May 2009 through a decision by the International Sugar Council and it remains in force until 31 December 2011. This extension of the Agreement entails the prolongation of the EU contribution to the administrative budget of the Agreement (€0.4 million). The Council now has to adopt this text in order for the Commission to be able to vote on behalf of the EU to extend this agreement. (L.C./transl.fl)