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

On the Mercosur trade deal we have been extremely actively engaged with the Commission and other member states. In the past week or ten days we have been very active in building a coalition of 11 member states which share our concerns about a beef proposal in the Mercosur trade deal, particularly because of Brexit but also at a time when the EU market for beef consumption is static, and the Commission has researched the cumulative impact of existing trade deals particularly identifying beef as a sensitive product to further trade development. We have been very active in the Commission and with other member states in building a coalition of member states which do not support the Mercosur trade deal. We are at a very early stage in those negotiations. The Taoiseach raised the matter on Thursday night last, or Friday, with Jean-Claude Juncker in the Commission. We have been extremely active in this area.

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