Council Decision (EU) 2022/1910 of 29 September 2022 concerning the conclusion of the amendments to the International Sugar Agreement, 1992

What it is

to approve the conclusion of the amendments to the 1992 International Sugar Agreement. ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act. BACKGROUND: the Union is a party to the International Sugar Agreement 1992, which was concluded by the Union under Council Decision 92/580/EEC, and a member of the International Sugar Organisation (the ISO). On the basis of the authorisation given by Council Decisions (EU) 2017/2242 and (EU) 2019/2136, the Commission, on behalf of the Union, has been negotiating with other members of the ISO with a view to amending the Agreement under the guidance of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. PURPOSE: to approve the conclusion of the amendments to the International Sugar Agreement 1992. BACKGROUND: the Union is a party to the International Sugar Agreement 1992 and a member of the International Sugar Organisation (ISO). The Commission, on behalf of the Union, has opened negotiations with other ISO members to amend the agreement, under the guidance of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The negotiations on the amendments to the Agreement have been completed and the wording of those amendments was approved by the International Sugar Council (ISC) during its 57th session in November 2020 and its 58th session in June 2021. Council Decision (EU) 2021/1851 authorised the Commission to vote in favour of recommending that the ISO Members amend the Agreement. The ISC voted unanimously in favour of the amendments to the Agreement. Each ISO Member is to notify the depositary of its acceptance of the amendments to the Agreement. CONTENT: the Council draft aims to approve, on behalf of the Union, amendments to the International Sugar Agreement 1992 (ISA). Adoption of the administrative budget and members' contributions : Article 25 includes a revised calculation method and more effective adjustment mechanism to standardise the Union's share of budgetary costs and responsibilities within the ISO. The Union's share of the financial contribution will vary according to the final number of votes allocated to the EU following the amendment agreement. A transition period of up to ten years is foreseen, during which the annual change in the number of votes is limited to 15% in the first five years and 20% for the rest of the transition period. The change in the calculation method will lower the number of votes allocated to the Union for budgetary purposes, which in turn will reduce the Union's contribution to the ISO. Executive Director : the Executive Director will be appointed by special vote for a period of four years. The Council may reappoint the Executive Director by special vote for a second period of four years. The Executive Director shall not be appointed for more than two terms. Information and studies : the Organisation will serve as a centre for the collection and publication of statistical information and studies concerning production, prices, exports and imports, consumption and stocks of sugar products, as well as taxes on such products, on a world-wide basis. Market situation, consumption and statistics : the…

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