EU trade deals were under the spotlight at a trade event hosted by Lynn Boylan MEP in Dublin last week.
Concerns about workers rights, public health, the environment and even international law were discussed by all those at the event in the EPLO office on Balfe Street in the city centre.
The event was held amid concerns about the full ratification of the CETA deal, and the attempts by the EU to ram through the Mercosur deal.
One of the aims of the meeting was to discuss how people can fight for trade deals that focus more on fairness for workers, and protecting the planet, rather than solely focusing on corporate profits alone.
Lynn, who is the Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin said:
“This event gave us the chance to hear many different views on how we can fight for fairer trade deals.
“It was great to get the perspective of everyone from legal experts, to farmers, and ordinary people on the issues with these trade deals, and what they feel is important to try and change.
“It’s clear that these trade deals create a lot of problems, some of which have very far reaching consequences for us and how we operate as a country.
Both the private investor courts in the CETA deal, and the potential impact on climate and agriculture from Mercosur were raised by many of those at the meeting.
“The private investor courts that would come with fully ratifying the CETA deal are a real point of contention.
“People are rightly concerned about the possibility of giving foreign corporations, especially those that are driving the housing crisis in Dublin, the power to sue the state if they feel we did anything to harm their profits.
“Likewise, the importing of tens of thousands of tonnes of beef from the Mercosur countries, beef that has been treated with chemicals that are outlawed in the EU itself, causes worry for people’s health, and for the pressure that it would heap on agriculture here.
“I’m determined to do all that I can in my position as an MEP for Dublin to fight against rotten trade deals that put profit above all else.”
