EU ministers oppose offer for 78,000 tonnes of beef sales to South America

The EU proposal to offer South American countries a quota for 78,000 tonnes of beef sales in the EU was opposed this week by agriculture ministers from 20 EU member states.

Austria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia, supported by other member states, opposed the proposed EU offer of quotas for “trade-sensitive” agricultural products in Mercosur trade talks.

Farming commissioner Phil Hogan told ministers he shared concerns over the push to exchange market access offers in EU-Mercosur trade talks, and indicated that these concerns will be referred to the commissioner responsible for trade issues.