Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagements that he has had with his ministerial colleagues regarding the EU-Mercosur trade agreement. [61129/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the European Commission reached political agreement in its trade negotiations with the Mercosur countries in June 2019.

There is ongoing and close consultation between my Department and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in relation to this Agreement, as there has been throughout the negotiation process over the last number of years.

These discussions, in turn, have informed Ireland's position at EU level, in particular in respect of the level of new market access provided for agri-food exports from Mercosur, as well as the environmental and climate change provisions in the agreement.

After the announcement of the agreement, the Government committed to a full Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in collaboration with my Department, commissioned this study, and my Department and Teagasc fed extensively into the analysis.

Furthermore, Ireland has continued to raise concerns about the environmental and climate change provisions in the agreement, and fully supports the European Commission as the latter seeks the inclusion of additional enforceable guarantees that will strengthen environmental protections. 

We raise these issues on an ongoing basis at EU Council of Ministers meetings (in both Trade and Agriculture formations), through direct engagement with the relevant Commissioners for Agriculture and Trade, and through close collaboration with other EU Member States who share these concerns.

My Department continues to take every opportunity to articulate this position at EU level, including most recently at the October Agri-Fish Council of Ministers meeting in Luxembourg. 

Based on the concerns raised by Ireland and other EU countries, the European Commission and the European External Action Service are currently engaged with Mercosur countries on negotiating enforceable commitments on climate and deforestation.  

When the final text of the Agreement is presented to EU countries for approval, the Government’s position will be informed by its assessment of the additional enforcement provisions secured by the EU in the final text, as well as by the findings of the Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment. 

What's crucial to remember is the beef produced on Irish beef and suckler farms is superior, on all levels, compared to beef produced in the Mercosur bloc and we must always seek to reward the efforts of our farmers.