Mercosur ‘unbalanced and flawed’ - Copa Cogeca
Copa Cocega has described the EU-Mercosur trade deal as “flawed”, while promising that “European farmers’ mobilisation continues”.
Representatives of EU member states have voted in favour of adopting the trade agreement in a key vote today (Friday, January 9).
Copa Cogeca, which represents EU farm organisations and agricultural cooperatives, in a statement said: “No surprise today [January 9] in Brussels: the EU-Mercosur deal was approved at the European Council following months of unprecedented manoeuvring and pressure that confirm the complexity and divisiveness of this file, while leaving long-term marks.”
“Despite the latest adjustments to the additional safeguard measures, European farming and agri-cooperative organisations remain unanimous and united in denouncing a deal which remains fundamentally unbalanced and flawed in its core.07
"This deep conviction only strengthens our determination and mobilisation."
The organisation said that "it is now up to the European Parliament, our 720 elected representatives, to vote on this agreement in good conscience.
"The [European] Council’s last-minute decision to withdraw the declaration guaranteeing no provisional implementation of the agreement before the European Parliament has the chance to have its say, despite past promises that this would not happen, is extremely concerning.
“It erodes trust in European governance, democratic processes and parliamentary scrutiny at a time when institutional credibility is already under strain.
“It also reveals both nervousness and that a majority against the deal is still possible/likely.”
Copa Cogeca said its leadership will meet on Monday, January 12, “to plan the next steps in our mobilisation”.
Social Democrats’ reaction
Meanwhile, closer to home, the Social Democrats described the government decision to vote against the Mercosur trade deal as “too little, too late”.
Social Democrats environment spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said: “The government spent the entire year failing to build alliances with like‑minded EU countries in opposition to Mercosur, which it explicitly committed to in the Programme for Government.
“The coalition sat on its hands as France, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands and others publicly expressed deep reservations about the deal.
“Irish farmers raised alarm after alarm as the government wasted valuable time, only deciding to oppose the agreement once it became politically unviable to do so.”
Deputy Whitmore highlighted that Irish beef and poultry producers operate under "some of the strictest environmental and animal‑welfare standards in the world", while Mercosur imports "come from systems where pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and labour standards simply do not compare".
“While the government paid lip service to farmers' tangible and documented concerns about this deal - from undercutting to carbon leakage to an explicit race to the bottom in production standards - they wasted valuable time by not formally opposing the Mercosur Free Trade Agreement months ago," she continued.
“I welcome the government’s decision to vote against the Mercosur deal, but this comes too late, after a year of drift, delay and mixed signals.”
Social Democrats Senator Patricia Stephenson said: “Our trade deals should not be at the cost of our indigenous agriculture - while the government’s stance is welcome, we must oppose future deals like these with more vigour.
“Rural communities, farmers and businesses must not be forgotten when deals like these are being considered.”
