Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will just go through the ratification process again because I do not want to give misinformation. It has to go through the legal process. It is our current understanding that it will be an association agreement with Mercosur. While the trade agreement element falls under the exclusive competence of the Commission and is, therefore, ratified by member states in Council under qualified majority voting and by the European Parliament, the EU-Mercosur agreement is a wider association agreement, including trade with areas of shared competence, such as political co-operation elements. The overarching agreement, therefore, ultimately requires ratification as a mixed agreement in accordance with national parliamentary procedures, which includes the Oireachtas. It is not possible at this stage to be definitive about what timelines may apply in respect of ratifying the EU-Mercosur agreement until a final text is available.

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