Fine Gael MEP Nina Carberry has stated that the European Parliament should reject any EU-Mercosur free trade agreement put before MEPs in its current form.

The MEP said she is firmly against the deal and warned of a potentially “devastating” impact on Ireland’s beef sector.

Carberry, now a member of the European Parliament’s trade committee, was speaking as newly-elected MEPs convene after the Parliament’s summer break.

"Our farmers are already under immense pressure, facing rising fertiliser costs, complex environmental regulations and unpredictable weather patterns,” she said.

“The added threat from the Mercosur deal may push many to the brink.”

'Double standards'

Carberry claims that green-lighting the proposed agreement’s 99,000t of tariff-free beef imports would amount to “environmental double standards” for Irish farmers.

"While our farmers adhere to the highest environmental standards, the Mercosur deal turns a blind eye to the environmental destruction happening in Brazil,” the MEP said.

“This is not just an economic issue - it is a matter of global responsibility

"We must ensure a level playing field for all parties involved. Without such changes, this agreement should not be ratified.”