Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2017
244. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation if she has satisfied herself that the EU-Mercosur deal adequately addresses climate change; if so, the basis for that satisfaction; the extent to which climate change has been incorporated in each chapter of the EU-Mercosur deal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53219/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra245. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the extent to which the precautionary principle enshrined in EU law as a cornerstone of its environmental policy has been incorporated in each chapter of the EU-Mercosur deal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53220/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.
The EU is currently negotiating a trade agreement with the four founding members of Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). A further round of high-level talks on the EU-Mercosur FTA took place from 29 November to 8 December 2017. The European Commission acts as lead negotiator on behalf of the EU Member States in Trade negotiations.
An EU-Mercosur FTA would be the EU’s largest trade deal to date, and would be four times the size of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, which was recently concluded. An EU-Mercosur trade agreement aims to eliminate trade tariffs between the EU and the Mercosur region. Irish exporters are currently subject to trade tariffs, barriers and restrictions when exporting to Mercosur, while imports from Mercosur, particularly in agriculture, are currently subject to high tariffs. The proposed FTA should make exports from Ireland more attractive and potentially increase demand for Irish products.
EU law requires all relevant EU policies, including trade policy, to promote sustainable development. Sustainable development has three pillars: economic, environmental and social. The EU Mercosur FTA has a defined section on sustainable development which includes climate change. A Sustainability Impact Assessment being carried out on the EU Mercosur FTA will also have a designated section on climate change as part of its environmental analysis.
The precautionary principle is enshrined in the EU treaties and all EU trade agreements must respect those treaties. The EU ensures that all its trade agreements fully respect the right to regulate on the basis of the precautionary principle. Trade agreements must also uphold existing EU food safety regulations and other 'secondary legislation' which includes the precautionary principle.
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 that will be good for a range of Irish exporting companies and jobs. However, we also have to be mindful of the cumulative impact of EU FTAs on specific sectors, such as agriculture, and the challenges which they face if having to respond to competition on multiple fronts in a comparatively short space of time.
