Irish MEPs: EU trade agreement a threat to Irish agriculture
Irish MEPs have raised serious concerns over beef talks with EU trade chief today in Strasbourg.
Fianna Fáil MEPs Liam Aylward MEP and Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher MEP sought an urgent meeting with the Commissioner for Trade, Karel de Gucht to express their grave reservations about the re-opening of trade negotiations with Mercosur and to defend the position of Irish agriculture.
Mr Aylward said: "An EU/Mercusor Free Trade Agreement would result in serious losses for EU agriculture and greater market access concessions without the benefits that a WTO agreement would bring.
"Agriculture is Ireland’s largest indigenous manufacturing industry and is a key industry in the context of Ireland’s economic recovery. Any threats to undermine that industry will have a major economic impact. Beef quotas of over 300,000 tonnes have been sought by Mercusor, this would seriously undermine our beef industry and must be rejected."
Mr Gallagher said: "I have serious reservations about the decision to re-engage in negotiations with Mercosur and we are unhappy at the lack of discussion at political level prior to the Commission announcement.
"I have asked the Commissioner for clarity regarding the starting point for re-launch of these negotiations. I also wish to see a detailed analysis from the Commission of the social, economic and environmental impacts of the anticipated outcome of these negotiations."
