RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision concerning the conclusion of the amendments to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992

7.9.2022 - (07978/2022 – C9‑0181/2022 – 2022/0082(NLE)) - ***

Committee on International Trade
Rapporteur: Bernd Lange

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the draft Council decision concerning the conclusion of the amendments to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992

(07978/2022 – C9‑0181/2022 – 2022/0082(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the draft Council decision (07978/2022),

– having regard to the draft amendments to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992 (07978/2022),

– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 207(4), first subparagraph, and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a) (v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C9‑0181/2022),

– having regard to Rule 105(1) and (4), and Rule 114(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on International Trade (A9-0229/2022),

1. Gives its consent to the conclusion of the amendments to the agreement;

2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The European Union is a Party to the International Sugar Agreement adopted in 1992 by the United Nations Sugar Conference and a member of the International Sugar Organization (‘ISO’).

The Commission was authorized by the Council to open negotiations with the other parties to the International Sugar Agreement, with a view to modernise the Agreement, in particular as regards the discrepancies between the number of votes and financial contributions of Members and their relative position in the global sugar market.

Changes concern the following three areas: the administrative budget and contributions of Members under Article 25; the broadening of the objectives, studies, evaluations and the research activities, allowing for the inclusion of other sugar related products (in particular bioethanol) in the scope of Articles 1, 32, 33 and 34; and the rules for the appointment of the Executive Director under Article 23.

During the 59th meeting of the International Sugar Council on 26 November 2021, the International Sugar Council (‘ISC’) voted unanimously in favour of recommending the Members of ISO to amend the Agreement, in accordance with the outcome of the negotiations.

The revised objectives of the International Sugar Agreement are as follows:

(a) To ensure enhanced international cooperation in connection with world sugar and sweeteners matters as well as related issues, including bioenergy and fuel ethanol production from sugar crops;

(b) To provide a forum for intergovernmental consultations on sugar and sweeteners markets as well as markets for sugar industry by-products as well sugar-crop based fuel ethanol;

(c) To facilitate trade by collecting and providing information on the world sugar market and other sweeteners, as well as bioenergy and sugar-crop based fuel ethanol;

(d) To encourage increased demand for sugar and sugar crops, particularly for non-food uses.

In accordance with Articles 207(4) and 218(6) point (a)(v) of the TFEU, the swift consent of the European Parliament is needed in order for the Council to adopt a decision concluding the amendments to the Agreement and for the latter to come into force in due time.

In the light of the above, the Rapporteur recommends that the Parliament give its consent to the conclusion of the amendments to the Agreement, without prejudice to its democratic right of continuous scrutiny.

 

 

PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Title	Conclusion of the amendments to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992
References	07978/2022 – C9-0181/2022 – 2022/0082(NLE)
Date of consultation / request for consent	16.5.2022
Committee responsible  Date announced in plenary	INTA 18.5.2022
Committees asked for opinions  Date announced in plenary	BUDG 18.5.2022	AGRI 18.5.2022
Not delivering opinions  Date of decision	BUDG 19.4.2022	AGRI 20.4.2022
Rapporteurs  Date appointed	Bernd Lange 16.5.2022
Discussed in committee	13.7.2022
Date adopted	31.8.2022
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	31 1 7
Members present for the final vote	Barry Andrews, Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, Geert Bourgeois, Saskia Bricmont, Markus Buchheit, Udo Bullmann, Jordi Cañas, Arnaud Danjean, Emmanouil Fragkos, Raphaël Glucksmann, Markéta Gregorová, Roman Haider, Christophe Hansen, Heidi Hautala, Danuta Maria Hübner, Herve Juvin, Karin Karlsbro, Bernd Lange, Margarida Marques, Emmanuel Maurel, Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó, Samira Rafaela, Inma Rodríguez-Piñero, Massimiliano Salini, Helmut Scholz, Sven Simon, Kathleen Van Brempt, Jörgen Warborn, Iuliu Winkler, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
Substitutes present for the final vote	Jérémy Decerle, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Enikő Győri, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Manuela Ripa, Pedro Silva Pereira
Substitutes under Rule 209(7) present for the final vote	Paolo Borchia, Pernille Weiss
Date tabled	7.9.2022

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

31	+
ECR	Geert Bourgeois, Emmanouil Fragkos
ID	Paolo Borchia, Markus Buchheit, Roman Haider
NI	Enikő Győri, Carles Puigdemont i Casamajó
PPE	Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, Arnaud Danjean, José Manuel García-Margallo y Marfil, Christophe Hansen, Danuta Maria Hübner, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Simon, Jörgen Warborn, Pernille Weiss, Iuliu Winkler, Juan Ignacio Zoido Álvarez
RENEW	Barry Andrews, Jordi Cañas, Jérémy Decerle, Karin Karlsbro, Samira Rafaela
S&D	Udo Bullmann, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Bernd Lange, Margarida Marques, Javier Moreno Sánchez, Inma Rodríguez-Piñero, Pedro Silva Pereira, Kathleen Van Brempt

 

1	-
THE LEFT	Emmanuel Maurel

 

7	0
ID	Herve Juvin
S&D	Raphaël Glucksmann
THE LEFT	Helmut Scholz
VERTS/ALE	Saskia Bricmont, Markéta Gregorová, Heidi Hautala, Manuela Ripa

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention