Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 November 2016
624. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the input Ireland has made or submitted to the European Commission to the cumulative impact assessment being undertaken on all EU beef offers in trade agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34408/16]
View answerThe European Commission did not seek formal input from Member States to its cumulative impact assessment, although officials from my Department, together with Teagasc colleagues, met the Commission early in the process to gain an understanding of the approach to be taken in conducting the analysis and to offer our advice.
However, Ireland was instrumental in bringing about the impact assessment in the first place, as it played a leading role in calling for such a study to be carried out, and in ensuring that no beef tariff rate quota was included in the exchange of offers between the EU and the Mercosur bloc in May of this year. I was very active at that time in highlighting the potentially very damaging impact of a Mercusor deal on the European agriculture sector, and on the beef sector in particular. I raised the issue continuously with Commissioners Malmström and Hogan, both within the Council of Agriculture Ministers and in written form.
I will continue with these efforts as required, and I will ensure that the results of the Commission's impact assessment are fully taken into account in the approach to future FTA negotiations.
