(1)

The International Sugar Agreement 1992 (1) (the ‘Agreement’) was concluded by the Union by Council Decision 92/580/EEC (2) and entered into force on 1 January 1993. The Agreement was concluded for a period of three years, until 31 December 1995.

(2)

The International Sugar Council (the ‘ISC’), set up under Article 3 of the Agreement, is empowered pursuant to Article 45(2) of the Agreement to extend the Agreement, by special vote, for successive periods, not exceeding two years on each occasion. Since its conclusion, the Agreement has regularly been extended for further periods of two years. The Agreement was last extended by decision of the ISC in November 2021 and remains in force until 31 December 2023.

(3)

In 2021, the ISC agreed to amend the Agreement, and in particular Articles 1, 23, 25, 32, 33, and 34 thereof. Those amendments were originally intended to enter into force on 1 January 2024. During its 62nd session, the ISC agreed to prolong the period in which Members could deposit their instruments of acceptance concerning those amendments until 30 April 2024, while the entry into force of those amendments was postponed to 1 January 2025. In view of this, the validity of the Agreement in its current wording needs to be extended.

(4)

The ISC, during its 63rd session to be held on 24 November 2023, is to adopt a decision on the extension of the Agreement in its current wording, until 31 December 2024.

(5)

It is appropriate to establish the position to be taken on the Union’s behalf within the ISC, during its 63rd session, as regards the extension of the Agreement. A further extension of the Agreement is in the interest of the Union,