Cattle Association: 'Backdoor' beef deal 'disgraceful'
ICSA president Gabriel Gilmartin has expressed serious concern at news of renewed backdoor discussions between the EU Commission and the Mercosur group (South American countries) on the possibility of a special low tariff deal for beef imports and branded them “disgraceful”.
Mr Gilmartin said: "This initiative by the Commission is at odds with the severe restrictions imposed on Brazilian beef as a result of the much lower standards applied in that country. It is also outrageous that these talks should be instigated without first having a considered discussion with all 27 member states via a farm council meeting.
"The Commission is shooting itself in the foot to be giving away huge concessions given that a WTO agreement was not possible in 2008. Despite this, efforts continue to reignite WTO discussions.
"It would seem prudent that the EU should be making no concessions at this point. The history of the EU approach on agricultural trade policy has demonstrated that concessions given in advance of WTO negotiations generally never get any recognition at these talks.
"When one looks at the beef price paid to farmers in the past 12 months in the absence of such a deal, it beggars belief that the EU thinks its own farmers could sustain any further damage to price. Instead of moves to support Brazilian agriculture, the EU urgently needs to look at what can be done to encourage increased EU beef production.
"EU policies are clearly failing when we see that it’s no longer self sufficient in key commodities like beef and lamb."
He concluded: "I would encourage the Minister to use every available means to block this pre-emptive strike against the Irish beef sector at a time when we need to do everything in our power to maintain our indigenous industries as part of a plan for economic recovery."
