This requirement is primarily aimed at sugar supplies from Ukraine, the Economic Pravda newspaper has said. The European Sugar Producers Association (CEFS) and the International Confederation of European Sugar Beet Producers (C.I.B.E.) jointly appealed to the EU authorities with such a request. They demand that the institutions in Brussels urgently react to the deteriorating situation on the EU sugar market and take protective measures to prevent the bankruptcy of European sugar companies.
“Ekonomicheskaya Pravda” claims that according to the National Association of Sugar Producers “Ukrtsukor”, in 2025 in the EU announced the closure of five sugar factories, and one more will stop processing in 2026.
In addition, the price of sugar continues to decline in the European market – since December 2023, it has fallen by 38% amid global overproduction and speculative fluctuations.
The Ukrainian sugar growers’ association also notes that imports under the internal processing regime (IPP), new import quotas from Ukraine, as well as possibly from Mercosur countries, are increasing pressure on EU producers. Against this background, European farmers and sugar mills are already planning a significant reduction of sugar beet acreage in the 2026-2027 marketing year, expecting a further drop in sugar prices and an increase in sugar stocks.
In view of all this, the EU trade associations called on the European Commission and Member States to immediately suspend imports of raw sugar under the IPP and start a structured dialogue with business on ways to stabilize the market to prevent the situation in the industry from worsening.
