Reservations about EU move to reopen talks with Mercosur group

THE Government has serious reservations about the EU decision to re-engage in trade negotiations with Mercosur group of South American countries.

Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith told the Dáil in written replies to questions from Michael Creed (FG) and Sean Sherlock (Lab) that he had conveyed these reservations directly to Commissioner Dacian Ciolos last week.

He expressed deep concerns over the decision to re-launch the talks and the threat which these could pose for Irish and European agriculture.

This was at a time of great sensitivity in the context of discussions on the Common Agricultural Policy post-2013, and in the context of the significant challenges already facing the sector.

Mr Smith said Ireland has been to the forefront in urging caution in relation to the resumption of these talks. It helped to draft a joint paper co-signed by France, Austria, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Poland, raising concerns on the resumption of the talks.

The paper raised the possible concessions on agriculture that would be required to achieve an agreement and sought clarification and assurances in relation to any future talks.

Mr Smith said the concerns expressed in that joint paper were also echoed by many other member states in the Agricultural Council. Ireland highlighted the serious losses for European agriculture and the greater market access concessions that could result from an EU/Mercusor free trade agreement. “The importance of agriculture as the largest indigenous manufacturing industry in the context of Ireland’s economic recovery was stressed. The impact such an agreement would have on the beef sector and, in particular, on the high quality beef cuts market in the EU was detailed in our intervention.”

Mr Smith said he had specifically requested a detailed analysis from the European Commission of the social, economic and environmental impacts of the anticipated outcome of these talks, a request supported by many states in the council.

“While the talks have been re-launched, it is in effect a re-opening of talks originally opened a number of years ago. These were effectively suspended in 2004 after 16 rounds of negotiations, arising from major differences between the two sides in terms of expectations across a range of headings, including industrial goods, agriculture, services and intellectual property.”