The ongoing high price phase for the raw material sugar indicates that the sugar supply in the EU is still extremely tight. From the perspective of the Info Centre for Sugar Users (IZZ), there is therefore a need for the EU to diversify the sources of sugar procurement more strongly through free trade agreements. "Important structural steps need to be taken in the sugar market. This includes the swift ratification of the MERCOSUR agreement and the successful conclusion of a free trade agreement with Australia," says Karsten Daum, spokesperson for the IZZ. Direct access to white sugar and relevant quantities that make deliveries to the EU economically viable are also important. The IZZ cites the agreement between the UK and Australia, which came into force in May, as an example of a pioneering partnership in trade.

The first ship carrying Australian sugar arrived on British shores at the beginning of September. Up to 100,000 tonnes of sugar could be delivered from Australia to the UK by 2024, after which the potential volume will increase by 20,0000 tonnes per year. However, the EU is unable to reach a compromise in the negotiations on opening up the market for sugar. In the view of the IZZ and the sugar-processing food industry, the EU must not miss this opportunity.