Matt Carthy
Question:54. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his response to the provisional application of the Mercosur trade agreement, and its impact upon Irish farmers. [52280/26]
View answerThursday, 9 July 2026
Questions (54)
Written answers
I note the provisional application of the EU-Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement, which has taken effect since 1st May 2026.
The Government has highlighted Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement over a number of years, particularly in relation to its potential impact on the beef sector, the strength of its climate and sustainability commitments, and the production standards enforced by Mercosur countries.
Our focus now is in ensuring rigorous monitoring by the Commission of the Agreement’s market impacts, as well as the robust enforcement, where necessary, by the Commission of the provisions of the safeguards regulation.
We will also continue to engage closely with the Commission to ensure that it follows through on its additional commitments in relation to food safety and environmental standards, as well as its stated intention to better align the production standards of imported products with EU production standards – particularly with regard to pesticides and animal welfare.
The recent decision by EU Member States to exclude Brazil from the list of countries that have demonstrated compliance with EU restrictions on the use of antimicrobials in animals, thus prohibiting Brazilian exports to the EU of commodities such as beef, poultry and eggs from 3rd September, is a clear example of the importance of maintaining the EU’s strict standards, and of how the EU’s SPS standards remain non-negotiable.