Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner to the meeting. It is very useful for us as parliamentarians to engage with her before any gun is put to our heads with regard to a decision on the agreement.

I refer to an issue from the perspective of agriculture, a continuous assurance through the negotiations that the EU standards will not be diluted to coincide with American standards. Farming communities across Europe will need reassurance on this issue. The transparency of the negotiations is most important. I understand that the details of the negotiations are available on the web but it is important that this transparency is continued throughout so that there is no dilution of the standards we in Europe have set for our farming communities.