Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
797. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to list all bilateral and multilateral meetings held since January 2025 with Ministers or senior officials from other EU member states at which the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement was discussed; and to provide the date, location, format, and countries represented at each meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3780/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra798. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether minutes, notes, or formal read-outs were prepared for each meeting at which the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement was discussed with other EU member states; and if so, whether these records will be published or otherwise made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3781/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra799. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if briefing notes, submissions, or speaking points were prepared for Ministers or officials in advance of meetings with EU counterparts concerning opposition to the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement; the number and dates of such briefings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3782/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 797 to 799, inclusive, together.
The Government has been very clear about Ireland’s concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Agreement and has expressed these consistently over a number of years, particularly in relation to the Agreement's potential impact on the beef sector, the strength of its climate and sustainability commitments, and the food safety and environmental standards enforced by Mercosur countries.
Since I took up the role as Minister last year, I have met with my like-minded EU counterparts to discuss these concerns. I have also raised them at every opportunity at Agri-Fish Council in Brussels, and was again able to do so at the recent extraordinary EU Agriculture Ministers’ meeting with Commissioners Hansen, Šefčovič and Várhelyi.
As part of preparations for these engagements, briefing notes are generally prepared in advance. Due to the Agreement currently being part of an ongoing deliberative process, my Department will not be releasing the records referred to by the Deputy and does not intend to publish these records.
I raised our concerns on the EU-Mercosur Agreement during multilateral engagements at Agri-Fish Council meetings on 27 January (Brussels), 24 February (Brussels), 24 March (Brussels), 23 June (Luxembourg), 7 July (Brussels), 22-23 September (Brussels), 17 November (Brussels) and, as mentioned, at the extraordinary meeting of EU Agriculture Ministers on 7 January 2026 (Brussels).
The specific bilateral engagements with my EU counterparts on the EU-Mercosur Agreement are listed below.
|
EU Member State |
Details |
|
France |
• Three formal bilateral meetings at the March, September and November 2025 Agri-Fish Councils in Brussels • Discussion on the margins of the January 2026 EU Agriculture Ministers’ meeting in Brussels |
|
Italy |
• Formal bilateral meeting at the February 2025 Agri-Fish Council meeting • Two discussions on the margins at the November 2025 and January 2026 EU Agriculture Ministers’ meeting in Brussels |
|
Poland |
• Formal bilateral meetings at the Danish Informal Council meeting in September 2025 and on the margins of the January 2026 Agri-Fish council in Brussels |
|
Austria |
• Formal bilateral Meeting at Agri-fish Council May 2025 in Brussels |
|
Cyprus |
• Formal bilateral Meeting at Agri-fish Council July 2025 in Brussels. |
|
Latvia |
• Formal bilateral meeting at the May 2025 Agri-Fish Council in Brussels |
|
Slovakia |
• Formal bilateral meeting at the December 2025 Agri-Fish Council in Brussels.
|
