Trade deal requires ‘EU unanimity’

THE Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association leader Jackie Cahill has claimed that the approval of any world trade deal requires European Union unanimity in accordance with a Court of Justice decision back in 1994.

As the drive to reach a deal intensifies in the negotiations, the association president said the Court of Justice ruling is identical to the unanimity rule regarding harmonisation of taxes.

“Ireland must make it clear at all possible stages and in every forum that we will be insisting that approval will require unanimity.

“We must not accept the argument that agriculture falls under qualified majority voting.

“We can point out that the WTO is actually a single agreement and therefore requires unanimity,” he said.

Mr Cahill urged the Government to keep its nerve and to rely on the law in rejecting the present proposals which would have a devastating impact on farming and the agri food sector if approved.

Meanwhile, the Irish Farmers’ Association president Padraig Walshe said he was greatly heartened by the determination of French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier to prevent a sell-out of European agriculture in the negotiations.

The farmers’ association leader was speaking following discussions with Mr Barnier and French farm leaders at the annual congress of the FSNEA in Nantes.