Listen: 'positives' in Mercosur trade deal but scrutiny needed – Bruton

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton called for an evaluation of the the agreement reached last week between the EU and Mercosur countries, highlighting positive environmental aspects in the deal.

"It's the first time ever a trade agreement has enshrined obligations on countries involved to meet their Paris obligations," Minister Bruton told the Irish Farmers Journal this Friday in relation to the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

"We're actually introducing for the first time strict accountability by the countries participating that they fulfil their obligations in respect of the environment as a condition of trading. So that's a very positive aspect of it."

No product can come in from these countries that doesn't 100% comply with European standards

Minister Bruton also said that "there is, for example, the absolute guarantee that no product can come in from these countries that doesn't 100% comply with European standards".

However, he added that more work was needed to clarify how this would be enforced.

"A lot of people might be sceptical as to whether those obligations will be honoured, so clearly Ireland will want to look at that," he said.

The minister acknowledged concerns in the beef sector about the 99,000t of beef imports included in the deal, but said that 45% of this would be frozen and therefore not compete in the high-margin sector of the industry.

Two years before decision

"What the Taoiseach has said is that we need to scrutinise this in detail. It's probably two years before it comes to the trade council when Ireland will have to be in a position to decide whether to support it or not," Minister Bruton said, adding: "We need to use that time to scrutinise it in detail and evaluate it."

This work will take into account the benefits to sectors, such as dairy and medical devices, and the balance between this and beef concerns, he said.

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