EU ‘can’t take for granted’ Mercosur deal – Tánaiste

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The Tánaiste has said the EU “can’t take for granted” the deal with Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, will go ahead.

Speaking to reporters on Friday at the Stripe Young Scientist exhibition, Simon Harris said: “No officials, at any level, including the European Commission, should ever take for granted the decisions that the democratically elected representatives right across the European Union may decide to make in the European Parliament.”

Earlier on Friday, EU envoys provisionally approved the trade deal with Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay – but it still needs to be approved by the European Parliament.

The Irish Government confirmed on Thursday that it would not vote for the deal in its current form.

Mr Harris conceded: “It looks more likely than not that it will pass the parliament.”

But he added “it’s not a done deal” and said “there’s still a window of time” to “outline the concerns that we have in relation to the agreement”.

He said the Government had not ruled out supporting the deal if “if changes and improvements” are made around food safety and “parity” with environmental standards.

Mr Harris said Ireland “benefits from free trade” but that “it has to be free trade that doesn’t expect our farmers or our consumers to adopt a different set of standards”.

The deal has been opposed by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) and has also seen internal disagreement within Government, including with independents who supported the formation of the coalition.

Speaking on Limerick’s Live 95 radio on Friday, the Minister for Culture said Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael MEPs will oppose the EU-Mercosur agreement when it is brought to the European Parliament.

Patrick O’Donovan said government party MEPs are “bound” by the programme for government and the decision by the Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon not to support the deal.

IFA president Francie Gorman described the news the EU had provisionally approved the deal as “very disappointing”.

He said: “This morning’s outcome shows that the Irish Government was not alone in expressing deep reservations about the deal and what it means for farmers and public health.

“The Commission cannot ignore the scale of the opposition to the deal.”

Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman said: “The Mercosur Trade Agreement is not fair.

“It’s not fair to Irish farmers, who have to compete with food raised to much lower welfare standards.

“It’s not fair to Irish consumers, who will be exposed to beef reared using excessive hormones and pesticides.”

A protest against the deal is scheduled to take place in Athlone on Saturday.

Gardaí have said there will be “significant” additional traffic in the area, including slow-moving vehicles.

They are expecting a convoy of agricultural vehicles to travel from the Roscommon Road, along the N6 eastbound and along the N55 towards the Cornamaddy roundabout.

There is also a march to TUS Athlone planned, followed by a rally and speeches.