Sinn Féin MEPs Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion have called on the European Parliament’s Trade Committee to oppose any attempt to provisionally apply the Mercosur trade agreement, warning that such a move would breach the Interinstitutional Agreement.
Lynn Boylan MEP said:
“The successful blocking of the Mercosur deal this week was a significant victory for our climate, public health and for Irish farmers.
“By referring the deal to the European Court of Justice, it has likely delayed any further moves on the deal by at least two years.
“However, some suggestions that the EU could possibly look to provisionally apply the trade elements of the deal, without approval from MEPs.
“The Left Group has written to the the trade committee and urged them to oppose any attempts to do this, as it would breach the Interinstitutional agreement.
“As the Left Group’s coordinator for the trade committee, I will be making this point very strongly in our meeting next week.
Kathleen Funchion MEP said:
“This week’s vote in the European Parliament to refer the Mercosur trade agreement to the European Court of Justice was a major political victory for Irish farmers, consumers, and everyone who believes that trade policy must serve people rather than corporate interests.
“Whilst we await the ECJ’s opinion, it is vital that Ursula von der Leyen does not attempt to provisionally apply this deal.
“We have written to the Trade Committee calling for any such attempts to be opposed, and I am urging the Irish government and their MEPs to join us and resist any move to apply Mercosur within their political groups.
“Mercosur is a bad deal for Irish farmers, public health, and the environment. Sinn Féin will continue to oppose it at every opportunity.”
