Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding Senator Lombard's point on Mercosur and what happens next on the dairy side, there are ongoing contacts between officials from the EU and Mercosur countries. As I understand it, there are a number of issues to do with automobiles, geographical indicators, dairy access and ethanol. There is a lot of contention around those issues at the moment. We are looking for greater liberalisation and access on the dairy side. However, there is a lot of official interaction at the moment on both sides. At some point, in the not too distant future, because of impending elections in Brazil, there will be a requirement that the Brazilian team step down. That will put a pause in the negotiations, if they were not concluded by that stage.

Deputy Kenny and Deputy Penrose made a point earlier about standards. We have deployed all the arguments raised here about sanitary and phytosanitary, SPS, standards in Brazilian beef and the problems the Commission uncovered and that have been the subject of investigation in Brazil. We have deployed all of those arguments around the carbon footprint etc. We are using every leverage we can to our advantage in these debates. Mercosur countries currently have access to the EU market. They are exporting substantial volumes of beef in here from approved plants. They are approved by the Food and Veterinary Office of the EU. They have to meet those requirements. Obviously, in Brazil, not all of those requirements have been met and there have been consequences because of recent events that have been uncovered. However, they do currently have access to the European market. This is about additional access, if conceded in the context of Mercosur.