Sugar cane farmers in developing countries
23.3.2015
Question for written answer E-004576-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Richard Ashworth (ECR)
In 2013 Parliament and the Council decided to end sugar production quotas in 2017. Many of my South East England constituents have written to me regarding the impact of ending the EU beet and isoglucose quotas on sugar cane farmers in developing countries, such as Belize, Fiji, Guyana, Jamaica, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zambia.
In particular, I have been informed that the existing transitional aid package to developing countries has not fulfilled its aims so far and many of these transitional programmes will not be completed until after 2017, which will be too late for sugar farming communities in the developing countries concerned.
In light of the above, I would like to ask the Commission the following:
- 1.What transitional aid has the Commission put in place?
- 2.What review and evaluation steps has the Commission put in place to assess the effectiveness of this aid?
- 3.More specifically, what steps have been taken to ensure that this aid is applied in a timely manner?