Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has called on the EU to ensure there are “strong sustainability credentials” in its trade deals, and that their impact is fully taken into account.
He was referring specifically to proposed trade deals with the Mercosur trading bloc and Australia when he spoke at a meeting of EU agriculture ministers yesterday (Monday, June 26).
EU-Australia trade deals are currently progressing through the final rounds of negotiations.
Speaking to his fellow EU agriculture ministers in the Council of the EU, Minister McConalogue called on the European Commission to minimise the additional beef and sheepmeat access to be offered to Australia in concluding the current free-trade agreement negotiations.
“The key point I want to emphasise is the importance of ensuring that the cumulative impact of preferential access for sensitive products in all European free-trade agreements is fully taken into account in any ongoing negotiations,” he said.
On the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, the minister repeated his call for “robust commitments” on sustainability in negotiations with the South American trading bloc, which is comprised of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
“I fully support the commission’s ongoing efforts to secure strong sustainability commitments from Mercosur. The additional instrument on sustainability commitments needs to be substantial and robust,” he said.
He was referring to a legal instrument which the commission has proposed to include as part of the trade negotiations to ensure Mercosur beef produce destined for the EU market reaches a sufficient environmental standard.
There has been much concern raised throughout the EU over the link between beef production in Mercosur countries – particularly Brazil – and deforestation.
Yesterday’s meeting of agriculture ministers also discussed progress on the proposed Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products; proposed regulations on geographical indications; labelling of organic pet food; and the development of a Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN).
Agriculture ministers are set to meet again today (Tuesday, June 27) to discuss agricultural issues related to trade, as well as range of other issues.
However, events in the Council of the EU are likely to be eclipsed by the European Parliament’s committee on environment, which resumes voting today on the hugely controversial Nature Rewetting Law.