Michael Fitzmaurice: Trade Deals Eroding National Sovereignty
Michael Fitzmaurice criticised recent trade agreements, including Mercosur, arguing they erode national sovereignty and local control. He said he will vote against the agreement and warned that European directives and corporate legal mechanisms are undermining the state's ability to protect standards.
He argued that, while elected representatives may support fair trade deals, recent agreements are not negotiated on a level playing field. He singled out Mercosur and warned that safeguards are ineffective - "the handbrake cable is well gone" - and predicted that EU processes will be used to push deals through despite domestic concerns.
He criticised the Habit House directive as an example of EU rules that have "tied us up in knots," saying its impact has spread from a few western areas to every port, airport and road. He said Europe has stripped away much domestic control through documents and regulations that, in his view, are damaging the country.
He claimed a small number of countries, led by Germany, dictate EU priorities and that political will to protect local standards is secondary to getting agreements such as Mercosur over the line. He referenced CARES as having shown differences in regulation and food quality that are being ignored in favour of larger EU trade deals.
He announced his intention to vote against the agreement and urged holding on to "the bit of sovereignty that is left." He questioned the overall EU direction - asking if the aim is to reduce national and local parliamentary power - and warned against surrendering more control to European institutions.
Main objections to trade agreements
He argued that, while elected representatives may support fair trade deals, recent agreements are not negotiated on a level playing field. He singled out Mercosur and warned that safeguards are ineffective - "the handbrake cable is well gone" - and predicted that EU processes will be used to push deals through despite domestic concerns.
Effects of European directives
He criticised the Habit House directive as an example of EU rules that have "tied us up in knots," saying its impact has spread from a few western areas to every port, airport and road. He said Europe has stripped away much domestic control through documents and regulations that, in his view, are damaging the country.
Power dynamics within Europe
He claimed a small number of countries, led by Germany, dictate EU priorities and that political will to protect local standards is secondary to getting agreements such as Mercosur over the line. He referenced CARES as having shown differences in regulation and food quality that are being ignored in favour of larger EU trade deals.
Vote and defence of sovereignty
He announced his intention to vote against the agreement and urged holding on to "the bit of sovereignty that is left." He questioned the overall EU direction - asking if the aim is to reduce national and local parliamentary power - and warned against surrendering more control to European institutions.
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Transcript
I think that most elected representatives, if the playing field is fair, is open to trade agreements. But the reality of the last few trade agreements, be it Mercosur or be it this one, is that the level field is not fair. What I just smiled to myself at, I heard our teacher a few years ago, he said one day that basically you were backward if you felt that you needed a sovereign state. And then when he was talking about Ukraine the other day, he said a sovereign state. We need to hold as much, like Europe has stripped us from an awful lot of stuff. We are getting less and less, basically, to be in control of. We see at the moment, the likes of the Habit House directive that Europe sent in here a few years ago, has basically tied is up in knots. We see with the housing, a major problem everywhere you go. We have set about giving away and allowing the likes of Europe to basically dictate certain documents that are destroying this country, in my view. And now we are paying the price. I remember when the Habit House directive came in, just a few people in the West was affecting it. Every port, airport, every road, everything you go at now, it is affecting it. And we are giving that away constantly. What is the overall plan I would like to know in Europe? Is it to make a county council out of the Dáil, leave councillors with less again when you go back another step, and Europe dictate everything? And it is damnable to see that companies can basically take our state to court and we are going to vote for this agreement. And to be quite frank about it, I believe we need to start holding on to what we have in the bit of sovereignty that is left. And it is not much, may I be very clear on that. And we need to make sure, you know, that when something is not right, no more the Mercosur. People are coming out saying, oh well Mercosur, there will be a handbrake and there will be whatever. Well the handbrake cable is gone. The handbrake cable is well gone. And are they going to stop it? No, because you know what they will do? They will hoodwink and they will mollycoddle and they will do whatever they have to do in Europe to get enough over the line. Because Germany controls and a few countries dictate what is going on in Europe. And let us not be waffling that we are going to decide what Europe will do. Because I do listen at times and we are saying we are doing this and we are doing that. At the end of the day, CARES have proved now, when you look at Mercosur the way it has gone on, when we have shown and demonstrated that the likes of the regulations and the quality of food is totally different. But they will close their eyes to that. Why? Because Mercosur out of Germany is more important to get across than it is to look after the people of Europe. And this is the same set up, and that is why I will be voting against you. Go raibh maith agat. Thank you. Deputy.