Howitt (PSE). – I am grateful for that answer, Commissioner. In particular, I am glad that you have been listening to the representations of the least-developed countries and that all options remain on the table.

I should like you to comment more specifically on their argument that the fall in price that is integral to two of the Commission's three options would 'make the EBA initiative meaningless for sugar. The Commission seems to prefer maintaining free access for the LDCs into a market with a price that is too low for them to compete, over that of negotiating with the LDCs an orderly market that achieves a price that allows them to compete and create development'. Commissioner, do you not see a parallel with that in the arguments from sugar beet growers in Europe, not least in the UK, who also call for an orderly market with, as they say, European price levels that would allow both domestic and developing country industries to invest for a sustainable future?

Given that the arguments are coming from both developing countries and developed countries within Europe, surely a higher sustained price with a managed reduction is the better course of action. Could you comment on that specific point, Commissioner?