The European Commission announced on 31 March that it had published a call for tenders for a study on “adaptation strategies of the sugar supply chain after the end of the sugar quotas”.
The objective of the study will be to provide a comprehensive analysis of the capacity of the EU sugar sector to adapt to its environment after the end of production quotas and its ability to respond to varying market and production conditions. In addition, on the basis of the analysis carried out, the contractor will formulate possible strategies to improve the stability of the EU sugar sector.
After the end of the production quotas on 30 September 2017, the EU sugar sector found itself in a difficult situation (unfavourable world market and abundant EU sugar availabilities), creating downward pressure on EU prices. In 2019, the Commission established a High Level Expert Group on Sugar.
In its final report published in July 2019, this group made a series of recommendations (see EUROPE 12295/8). The European Commission was invited to undertake a comprehensive review of possible strategies to improve the sector's resilience to market trends.
The closing date for the submission of tenders is set as 4 May 2020. Link to the contract notice: https://bit.ly/3dNWbJc (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)