I am one of just 2 Irish MEPs to sit on the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Mercosur. Since I was elected, I have been opposed to this trade deal for many reasons and have campaigned against its adoption.  

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What is the EU- Mercosur Trade Agreement? 

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The EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement is a deal between the European Union and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay which will facilitate trade between these countries and the EU.

 

It was finalised in 2019, but it hasn’t been ratified by the European Parliament or the 27 EU Member States yet.

 

Why is it so bad?

 

For over 25 years citizens, activists, and experts have been mobilising against this deal because of the negative impacts it will have on both Latin America and Europe.

 

In Latin America it will exacerbate deforestation and the destruction of some of our planet’s most unique and crucial ecosystems, like the Amazon rainforest, as well as promoting increased confiscation of Indigenous land and unfair competition for sustainable farming.

 

It will undoubtedly have dramatic repercussions on European agriculture as well.

 

The agreement could flood the market with high value beef cuts that will have been produced cheaply and under conditions far less favourable to the environment than those produced in the EU. 

 

This is a kick in the teeth for Irish farmers.

 

On top of this, Brazil is the world’s largest consumer of pesticides, many of which are banned in the EU. This agreement could open the door to agricultural produce like sugar grown with highly toxic pesticides.