Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
588. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the outcome of the most recent discussions at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in relation to the proposed EU/Mercosur trade deal, with specific reference to the need to protect the Irish agri-food sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73549/25]
View answerAlong with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, who has lead responsibility for trade policy, I have actively engaged with both the European Commission and with other Member States across the EU to voice Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
During these engagements, I have repeatedly emphasised Ireland’s requirements for credible, legally-binding commitments on matters relating to trade and sustainable development, including climate, biodiversity, and deforestation protections. I have also repeatedly emphasised that beef in particular is a very sensitive sector, which is vulnerable to negative impacts from the Mercosur agreement.
Since my appointment as Minister earlier this year, I have raised these concerns at Agri-Fish Council meetings and also with like-minded Member States through bilateral meetings on the margins of these Council meetings, most recent of which was with my French and Italian counterparts at the November meeting in Brussels. The November meeting of the Agri-Fish Council also included an agenda item on trade-related agricultural issues, which gave me a further opportunity to reiterate our concerns on the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
The recent December Agri-Fish Council meeting featured extensive discussions on a number of issues, including reduced fishing opportunities for 2026 and the Common Agricultural Policy post-2027. It did not include a specific agenda item relating to trade-related agricultural issues or the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
