Statement by Minister McEntee on EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement

I take note of today’s statement by the European Commission President that the Commission will apply the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement on a provisional basis following ratification of the Agreement by Argentina and Uruguay on 26 February.

While the Council of the EU voted by Qualified Majority Voting to grant authority to the Commission to apply the agreement on a provisional basis, Ireland did not support that vote, in particular given our concerns around the Agreement’s potential impact on sensitive agricultural products, in particular the beef sector. While Ireland could not support the overall agreement, the Mercosur market provides opportunities for agrifood exports in dairy and spirits as well as pharmaceuticals, engineering and manufacturing.

I and other Government Ministers will continue to engage with the Commission and with other EU Member States in the time ahead to ensure the full implementation of the commitments obtained from the Commission to address our concerns with the Agreement, including the agriculture safeguard provisions.