Social dialogue in the sugar industry covers activities related to NACE (Rev.2) codes 10.81, which include:
- manufacture or refining of sugar (sucrose) and sugar substitutes from the juice of cane, beet, maple and palm,
- manufacture of sugar syrups,
- manufacture of molasses,
- production of maple syrup and sugar.
The sectoral social dialogue committee has been created in 1999, replacing the informal working committee previously functioning since 1969. In 2022, the EU sugar sector employed about 26,000 workers and is characterised by a small number of large and multinational companies.
The sector faces the following main challenge:
- declining and ageing workforce
- difficulties in employment related to the seasonal nature of the work
- sugar factories in the EU are closing, following the liberalisation of the EU Sugar market
- the attractiveness of the sector is lacking, and a skilled workforce is at risk
Workers' organisations
Employers' organisations
Key areas
The current work programme focuses on:
- EU Trade Policy developments
- sustainability of the EU Sugar Sector
- industry’s future: ageing workforce
- corporate Social Responsibility
Activities and meetings
Check the library entries for this sectoral social dialogue committee.