Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2017
243. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the position regarding the EU-Mercosur deal; if same is being deferred pending the human rights impact assessment being part of the sustainable impact assessment expected in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53218/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe European Commission acts as lead negotiator on behalf of the EU Member States in Trade negotiations. The EU follows closely the situation of indigenous peoples' rights in Brazil. There are regular contacts with indigenous peoples' representatives, civil society, and Brazilian authorities.
Indigenous peoples' rights are addressed in the context of the EU-Brazil High Level Dialogue on Human Rights. During his visits to Brazil, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights regularly meets representatives of indigenous peoples. The next dialogue on human rights will take place in Brussels.
The EU implements several projects in support of indigenous peoples in Brazil for a total of EUR 2.5 million. The EU Delegation and Member States Embassies organise regular visits to different regions of Brazil to get first-hand information on the situation of indigenous groups' rights. The last visit to Mato Grosso do Sul was in April 2016.
In the context of the EU's negotiations with Mercosur, the European Commission has launched a sustainability impact assessment which will, inter alia, look at the potential impacts of the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement on human rights, in line with the Commission's Trade for All Communication and the Guidelines on the analysis of human rights impact in impact assessments of trade-related policy initiatives. Land-related conflicts and indigenous people's rights will feature prominently amongst the human rights analysed. The EU will continue to support the indigenous peoples' rights in Brazil using all the available instruments in its bilateral relations with Brazil, as well as in the context of the EU-Mercosur negotiations for an association agreement.
There are no plans to defer the Trade agreement based on the sustainability impact assessment. Ireland supports the EU efforts in monitoring the situation on human rights. Overall, Ireland remains fully committed to this negotiation, especially in view of the important economic and political gains expected for both sides from a comprehensive, ambitious and balanced EU-Mercosur Association Agreement.
