There is less than one year to go until the European Union ushers in a new era for the sugar industry. Production quotas, export limits and the guarantee of a minimum sugar beet price for farmers will be abolished for the season starting October 1, 2017. David Elward considers the implications of the change on regional production, the potential for a surge in exports and a decline in imports, and the increased exposure to world pricing dynamics as the EU reclaims its place on the world stage.