§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with(a) the European Commissioner for Development and (b) his European counterparts on (i) the recent amendments to proposals for the 'Everything But Arms' initiative and (ii) the implications of these proposals for United Kingdom sugar producers; and if he will make a statement. [153554]
§ Ms QuinThe Government have had ongoing discussions with the European Commission and other member states on the 'Everything But Arms' proposal, culminating in the adoption of the Presidency compromise on 26 February. On sugar this provides for an eight-year transitional period, comprising a duty-free interim quota for raw sugar for refining, starting at 74,185 tonnes in July 2001 and increasing by 15 per cent. each year, coupled with the phase-out of duties on all LDC sugar between 2006 and 2009. In the short term, the implications of the EBA regulation for United Kingdom sugar beet producers are likely to be minimal. We will press the Commission to include the impact of EBA in the studies it expects to undertake in preparation for the next reform of the sugar regime.