MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Irish farmers fear 'decimation' from a Mercosur/EU trade agreement
MEP Harkin: “any concessions have to be strongly rejected” 
Now the EU elections are over EC president Barroso wants to speed the agreement The determination of European Commission President Manuel Barroso to conclude a deal with Mercosur before he leaves office posed a severe threat to Ireland's interest, Independent MEP Marian Harkin has warned in a piece reported by Irish Independent.
Ms. Harkin said that now the European Parliament elections were finished President Barroso would be engaging in an intensive attempt to reach an agreement with Mercosur countries in which the interests of Irish and European agriculture would be sacrificed.
“Nobody should be under any illusion as to the powerful industrial interests who are lobbying hard for an EU-Mercosur deal which, as of now, would mean an unacceptable level of access to the EU market for agricultural produce,” she said.
Ireland's vitally important beef export trade would be decimated by any concessions which would allow high value prime beef cuts into Europe. “Any concessions to South America and the USA on this issue had to be strongly rejected,” Ms. Harkin insisted.
Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela and Argentina, is believed to be finalizing its proposal on the impending trade deal.
Sources in Brussels suggest that offer could be ready by the end of June. The IFA (Irish Farmers' Association) has called on the Taoiseach (Parliament) to intervene to prevent the summary conclusion of a trade deal by the outgoing Commission.
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Read all commentsTime to make yourself more efficient Ireland or move on and concentrate on something else. Holding 500 million people ransom because other countries can produce something cheaper doesn't lead to prosperity.
Jun 16th, 2014 - 07:57 am 0Stand firm, Ireland. And use every option to deny mercosur access to European markets. For example, demand comprehensive checks on everything that might be construed to be a “foodstuff”, be it intended for animals or humans. Whatever enters the animal population enters the human food chain. We all know about the latam methods. GM. Toxic chemicals. Waste. Hormones. Producing cancers. Birth defects. Day to day illness. For any latam “produce”, the first option should be to throw it in the sea a la the Boston Tea Party. Examination, to destruction, down to the microbiological level. And, when in doubt, take it back and toss it where it can be shipped back. At mercosur cost. Remember that, across the whole of the British Isles, if you can't remember the actual countries, anything from south america is likely to be poisonous. If you see it in your shops, avoid it. Remember that latams hate europe.
Jun 16th, 2014 - 11:29 am 0'Irish farmers fear 'decimation''
Jun 16th, 2014 - 12:09 pm 0I see no evidence for a 10% reduction in Irish beef production.
In fact there is a massive new demand from China.
Ireland could be better off if it markets itself better than it presently does; containers need not return empty to China.
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