Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin MEP for Dublin, has welcomed a European Parliament text that recognises Ireland’s special situation when it comes to ‘Made-in-EU’ requirements.
“Currently, Made-in-EU requirements are very topical in the EU institutions. There are many proposals that say that companies should only receive EU funding if they buy European supplies, employ EU-based workers and invest in the EU. These discussions often do not consider the impacts such a requirement would have on business relationships in Ireland.
“This is why I am very pleased that the Parliament’s position on the Temporary Decarbonisation Fund, which I negotiated, recognises Ireland’s situation.
“During the negotiations, a majority of MEPs wanted to include a ‘Made-in-EU’ requirement for the Temporary Decarbonisation Fund. I highlighted how this would cause problems for businesses in Ireland, as some of their closest suppliers may not be in the EU.
“I thank my fellow negotiators for understanding the importance of this issue and for including a line that the Made-in-EU requirement ‘should not however preclude operators and downstream operators in Ireland from purchasing equipment, supplies, materials or components from suppliers established in Northern Ireland, in recognition of the all-island dimension of Ireland’s economy.’ I hope this can establish a strong precedent for all future discussions on Made-in-EU.”
