Matt Carthy
Ceist:91. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will report on his engagements with his Cabinet colleagues regarding the Mercosur Trade Agreement. [17714/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 25 April 2024
Ceisteanna (91)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment engage very closely on the EU-Mercosur negotiations and have done so throughout out the 20 year negotiating process of this agreement.
As the Deputy is aware, while the European Commission reached political agreement in its trade negotiations with the Mercosur trade bloc in June 2019, due to concerns raised by a number of member states, including Ireland, on the environmental and sustainability provisions included in the original agreement, the Commission and Mercosur recommenced negotiations in 2023 on a joint instrument aimed at addressing these concerns.
I continue to raise these issues of concern on an ongoing basis at EU Agriculture Council of Ministers meetings as does the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment at the EU Trade Council.
I can assure the Deputy when the final agreement and the additional joint instrument are presented by the Commission to member states for ratification, the Government’s position will be informed by:
• the additional sustainability and environmental commitments secured from Mercosur in the joint instrument text;
• the Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment of the agreement commissioned by the Government and
• the Commission’s approach to supporting sectors negatively impacted by the implementation of the Agreement.
This includes the Commission's commitment that a fund of €1bn will be available to assist farmers should challenges arise due to potential market disturbances associated with the deal as well as the safeguard mechanism in the Agreement which can also be activated to protect our most vulnerable sectors from increased imports.