Irish MEPs, Nina Carberry and Barry Cowen, have tabled amendments today (Thursday, November 27) designed strengthen the safeguard regulation linked to the EU-Mercosur agreement.

The MEPs said the proposals aim to "improve the clarity, enforceability and responsiveness of the protections available to Irish and EU farmers should the Mercosur agreement advance."

The controversial trade deal will allow 99,000t carcass weight of Mercosur beef - mainly from Brazil - to enter the EU at a much reduced tariff rate of 7.5%.

The quantity of beef under this quota will be phased in over a five-year period.

Safeguard measures

An amendment being brought forward by Carberry and Cowen seeks to increase the frequency of market monitoring from every six months to every three in the Mercosur countries.

The proposal also "obliges the European Commission to include data arising from strengthened product-specific monitoring, enhanced border checks, and any findings affecting individual member states."

Another change, which is being proposed by Cowen, aims to "confirm that the European Commission must not be bound to rigid 10% thresholds when determining 'injury to the sector'."

He explained: "If there is sustained pressure on prices, if there are signs of deterioration in the economic situation of the industry, that must be enough to trigger an investigation.

Separately, Carberry said that she is tabling amendments and working with other MEPs to "insist that all agri-food imports, in particular beef, must fully comply with EU environmental and food safety rules - especially on hormones and antibiotic use."

She added: "Mercosur countries must clearly demonstrate compliance, which must be verified through more regular and robust EU checks and audits to ensure a level playing field."

Looking ahead

The proposals from the Irish MEPs come at a time when there is reportedly a "real possibility" that the Mercosur agreement could be passed by Qualified Voting Majority (QVM) at the European Council, even without Irish support.

Cowen added: "As I have said before, I would vote against the Mercosur deal if it came before Parliament tomorrow.

"But if there is a real possibility of it being adopted by QVM, then my mandate is to secure the strongest possible safeguard package for Irish farmers – one that is credible, enforceable and based on real market conditions.

"These amendments are a crucial step in that direction."