MEPs in Strasbourg have supported a motion from the Left group, led by Sinn Féin MEPs, to refer the Mercosur deal to a top European court for an opinion on whether the deal actually violates the EU’s own laws.
This means that the full implementation of the deal will now likely be delayed by up to 2 years.
The outcome was welcomed by Sinn Féin MEPs Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion, who were signatories on the proposal to refer the deal to the ECJ.
They have insisted that the Mercosur deal is bad for the climate, bad for health, and bad for Irish farmers.
MEP Boylan pointed out that the EU had sacrificed key deforestation rules to try and get the deal over the line, and highlighted that even human rights groups had raised concerns about the deal.
MEP Boylan said:
“Mercosur is a rotten trade deal that really gets worse the more you read about it.
“This is a deal to let the EU sell German cars into South America, but they’re throwing climate protections, food safety standards, human rights and farmers all under the bus to do it.
“We’ve already seen food from Mercosur countries pulled from shelves in the EU because it was unsafe for human consumption.
“It’s mind boggling for them to support a deal that does so much harm.
“Farmers in Ireland have made it clear that the impacts on them from this deal would be catastrophic.
“Concerns that produce raised and sold into the EU from land that has been seized illegally from people in the Mercosur countries have also been raised by human rights groups.
“Today is a good day, and hopefully will give momentum to the campaign to stop this rotten trade deal.”
Kathleen Funchion MEP added:
“This is a good day for Irish farmers, for public health, and for our environment.
“Today’s vote in the European Parliament shows that this deal is far from final.
“The EU Parliament has now voted in favour of a resolution, brought forward by The Left Group, to refer the Mercosur agreement to the European Court of Justice for an opinion on its compatibility with EU treaties.
“As a result, the ratification process is now suspended until the ECJ delivers its judgment, and the Court’s opinion could ultimately force changes to the agreement if it is found to breach EU law. This is a significant and welcome development.
“We have been clear from the outset that Mercosur is a bad deal for Irish farming, for public health, and for environmental protection. It would place Irish farmers in direct and unfair competition with South American producers who are not required to meet the same high standards that apply here in Ireland and across the EU.
“Claims that we must accept Mercosur in the name of trade diversification, particularly in the context of global instability, cannot be allowed to become a smokescreen for ramming through a rotten trade deal.
“We will continue to stand by Irish farmers by opposing this toxic trade deal at every opportunity.”
