Mercosur to bring 99,000 tonnes of low-tariff beef into EU

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president Denis Drennan said the commission's move to ratify Mercosur was 'a calculated betrayal'

EU commissioner for trade Maros Sefcovic reacts as he speaks during a press conference on the Mercosur trade agreement at the EU headquarters, in Brussels, on September 3, 2025. Picture: Nicolas TUCAT / AFP / Getty Images

The European Commission has sought to assure Irish farmers that it is "listening to their concerns" over plans to allow 99,000 tonnes of South American beef low-tariff access to European markets.

The two agreements — the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement (EMPA) and the EU-Mexico Modernised Global Agreement (MGA) — require ratification by EU member states' parliaments and the European Parliament, a process which began on Wednesday, September 3, after it was signed off by the EU's 27 commissioners.