Brendan Smith warns Mercosur deal could flood EU with inferior food
Brendan Smith warned that the proposed Mercosur trade deal could allow much inferior food products from Brazil and elsewhere in South America into the European Union. He called for substantially strengthened safeguarding regulations and for the Government to robustly advance agri-food sector concerns at EU level.
The IFA and the Irish Farmers Journal produced a fact-finding report from a trip to Brazil that, Smith said, outlined how food production in Brazil and elsewhere in South America is much, much inferior compared with standards in this state and throughout the European Union.
Smith emphasised decades of state investment alongside the farming community in building a world-class agri-food industry. He said farmers and processors work daily to maintain exceptionally high standards and bear costs for high welfare, biosecurity and traceability; beef and poultry sectors fear totally unfair competition.
Smith insisted the proposed safeguarding regulations need to be substantially strengthened. A responding speaker said the Taoiseach, the Minister for Agriculture and other ministers share these concerns, that published safeguards require greater understanding, and cautioned against rushing a quick vote.
Government representatives stated they are working with like-minded countries to assess additionality and whether a blocking minority exists, and reiterated that the programme for government commitment remains in place.
Smith opened by extending Christmas and New Year wishes to all staff and members of the Oireachtas before setting out his concerns on the Mercosur deal.
Report findings
The IFA and the Irish Farmers Journal produced a fact-finding report from a trip to Brazil that, Smith said, outlined how food production in Brazil and elsewhere in South America is much, much inferior compared with standards in this state and throughout the European Union.
Standards and costs to farmers
Smith emphasised decades of state investment alongside the farming community in building a world-class agri-food industry. He said farmers and processors work daily to maintain exceptionally high standards and bear costs for high welfare, biosecurity and traceability; beef and poultry sectors fear totally unfair competition.
Safeguards and Government response
Smith insisted the proposed safeguarding regulations need to be substantially strengthened. A responding speaker said the Taoiseach, the Minister for Agriculture and other ministers share these concerns, that published safeguards require greater understanding, and cautioned against rushing a quick vote.
Next steps in EU engagement
Government representatives stated they are working with like-minded countries to assess additionality and whether a blocking minority exists, and reiterated that the programme for government commitment remains in place.
Parliamentary opening
Smith opened by extending Christmas and New Year wishes to all staff and members of the Oireachtas before setting out his concerns on the Mercosur deal.
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Transcript
I join with others in extending every good wish for Christmas and the New Year to all staff and members of the Oireachtas. I raise again, in the context of the proposed Mercosur deal, the detailed report by the IFA and the Irish Farmers Journal from their recent fact-finding mission to Brazil. That report outlined again, very clearly, how much, much inferior food production is in Brazil and elsewhere in South America, in comparison to the standards in this country and indeed throughout the European Union. We should continually highlight that for decades, this state has invested very heavily, as has the farming community, in building successfully a world-class agri-food industry. Day in, day out, our farmers and processors work extremely hard in maintaining our food production systems to exceptionally high standards. There is a cost on the farming community in maintaining those standards, including high welfare, biosecurity standards and traceability. Our beef and poultry sectors are extremely concerned about the potential there is for totally unfair competition if inferior product is allowed into the European Union. The proposed safeguarding regulations need to be substantially strengthened. Our agri-food sector's concerns on this proposed trade deal must be robustly and vigorously outlined and advanced in all discussions by Government at EU level. Thank you, Alastair Concorda. Thank you so much to Deputy Smith and Ola Cunidich. And yes, I mean, the points you've made, I want to assure you, in relation to the Mercosur deal, are points that are made by the Taoiseach, myself, Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. Farmers in Ireland have expressed very serious views. The Irish Farmers Journal, indeed, as you say, has revealed concerning information following their trip to Brazil as well. And as the Taoiseach said this morning, we now see safeguards that have been published. We need to have a greater understanding of them, but also of any additionality or further work that can be done in relation to that. Don't think there should be a rush into a quick vote in relation to this. And we're continuing to work with like-minded countries who share our significant concerns and continue to ascertain if a blocking minority exists as well. So our program for government commitment remains. Thank you.