Brussels, 18/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The sugar management committee voted on Thursday to reduce by 215,513 tons of production quotas for A and B sugar from Member States during the 2003/04 campaign in order to respect EU commitments to the WTO. Quota A for Germany will be reduced by 46,460 tons, France by 44,060 tons, Italy by 17,050 tons and the United Kingdom by 9,050 tons. A greater reduction had been envisaged last July (500,00 tons was mentioned). A downward revision of quotas is explained especially by the consequences of the heatwave this summer on production by Member States (especially Italy). Last year the EU decided to reduce quotas by 826,987 tons of quotas. According to Commission services, a reduction in quotas was necessary for this year as well due to imports form the Balkans.