Opposing the Mercosur trade deal will be a “red line” for Independent Ireland if it is to go into government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that the “finish line is in sight” for the long-delayed trade deal between the European Union and a group of South American countries (Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil) as she arrived in Uruguay to meet leaders at a Mercosur summit.
While the deal is part of European efforts to open up new markets for carmakers and other industries, it has been a significant cause for concern for farmers in the Republic and elsewhere in the EU as it would allow tens of thousands of tonnes of South American beef into the European market annually.
Likely coalition partners Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have expressed opposition to aspects of the deal in its current form, with the latter’s manifesto saying the Mercosur deal “as currently drafted is not acceptable”.
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Independent Ireland, which has four TDs following the general election, is opposed to the Mercosur deal and said, “it is a red line issue and we will make it a prerequisite of entering government that the deal is opposed ... we will oppose Mercusour in any form, for the sake of Irish agriculture.”
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There has been some suggestion that the commission may favour splitting the agreement so that the trade elements would only require approval by the European Parliament and European Council rather than national parliaments. Non-trade-related elements, like an agreement on political co-operation, would still be ratified by parliaments in member states. Independent Ireland said such an arrangement is “not good for democracy”.
Meanwhile, the new eight-strong Regional Group of Independents, most of whom have indicated they are open to government talks, have not yet discussed Mercosur collectively.
Tipperary North TD Micheal Lowry has been selected as their point of contact with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should the group or some of its members enter government talks.
He acknowledged the concern in the farming community over Mercosur but declined to comment on the Regional Group’s position on the agreement before its members discussed the matter.
Fianna Fáil Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue on Thursday said Dr von der Leyen had travelled to the Mercosur summit “with a view of concluding negotiations between the EU and Mercosur on an additional legal instrument”. He said if an agreement on the additional instrument is reached, the Republic would review the text to ensure concerns raised regarding the original 2019 agreement have been addressed.
“Ireland reserves its position until the commission has clarified how it intends to proceed in the event of the agreement being concluded,” he said. “From Fianna Fáil’s perspective, there is no question of ratifying a Mercosur trade agreement without satisfactory and legally binding commitments on matters relating to trade and sustainable development, including climate, biodiversity, and deforestation protections.”
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