CIUS – European Sugar Users raises concerns over ongoing discussions on the potential suspension of Inward Processing (IPR) for sugar, with a proposal expected on April 30. CIUS calls on European policymakers to preserve access to competitively priced sugar and to maintain a stable, predictable regulatory framework that supports exports, growth and employment across the food and drink industry.

Sugar-using industries represent more than 15,000 companies across the EU, providing employment to over 700,000 people and transforming agricultural raw materials into high-value products exported worldwide.

CIUS  members, which include companies such as CAOBISCO, Barilla, Lotus Bakeries, Orkla and United Biscuits,  purchase about 70% of the EU’s annual production of sugar, the association reveals. Products made by CIUS members include fine bakery wares, chocolate, confectionery, soft drinks, canned fruits and jams. EU companies specializing in manufacturing these products make the region a major exporter worldwide.

 “At a time when EU producers of sugar-containing products are already facing high input costs and strong global competition, restricting access to competitively priced sugar risks further undermining export performance and investment in Europe,” the organization underlines. It highlights that the EU sugar market remains structurally dependent on access to imported sugar to meet the needs of industrial users across all European regions.

CIUS President Yury Sharanov stated: “EU exports of sugar-containing products, from chocolate and biscuits to soft drinks and jams, rely on access to raw materials at globally competitive prices. Additional constraints risk accelerating the decline in export volumes and could increasingly shift production and investment outside the European Union.”

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