Member states’ backing of the EU-Mercosur free trade deal last week did not mark the end of the battle to oppose the deal, but rather the beginning of lobbying efforts in the European Parliament, Ireland south MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has said.
Ní Mhurchú called on her fellow Irish MEPs to co-ordinate efforts to lobby colleagues in the Parliament from other member states.
“Between now and that vote, I will be engaging with colleagues from across the political spectrum to campaign for a no vote on this deal,” the Fianna Fáil MEP commented.
“We must communicate to our colleagues that a better deal is possible, one which does not undermine and threaten our farmers.”
Ní Mhurchú warned that the agreement would disproportionately hit Irish farmers and rural communities.
She told her fellow MEPs to also consider the deal’s impact on the general public, saying that there are “public health and environmental risks of allowing large amounts of Mercosur beef into EU markets”.
“It is fundamentally unfair to expect Irish farmers, who comply with some of the strictest standards in the world, to compete with imports produced under far lower regulatory requirements,” Ní Mhurchú said.
“I stand firmly with Irish farmers and rural communities and will do everything in my power to oppose this agreement.”
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Mercosur gets green light from EU member states
Member states’ backing of the EU-Mercosur free trade deal last week did not mark the end of the battle to oppose the deal, but rather the beginning of lobbying efforts in the European Parliament, Ireland south MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has said.
Ní Mhurchú called on her fellow Irish MEPs to co-ordinate efforts to lobby colleagues in the Parliament from other member states.
“Between now and that vote, I will be engaging with colleagues from across the political spectrum to campaign for a no vote on this deal,” the Fianna Fáil MEP commented.
“We must communicate to our colleagues that a better deal is possible, one which does not undermine and threaten our farmers.”
Ní Mhurchú warned that the agreement would disproportionately hit Irish farmers and rural communities.
She told her fellow MEPs to also consider the deal’s impact on the general public, saying that there are “public health and environmental risks of allowing large amounts of Mercosur beef into EU markets”.
“It is fundamentally unfair to expect Irish farmers, who comply with some of the strictest standards in the world, to compete with imports produced under far lower regulatory requirements,” Ní Mhurchú said.
“I stand firmly with Irish farmers and rural communities and will do everything in my power to oppose this agreement.”
Read more
Watch back: thousands of farmers descend on Athlone for anti-Mercosur protest
Opinion: Mercosur has become a symbol of broken trust
Commission president hails European Council vote backing Mercosur deal
Mercosur gets green light from EU member states
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