Kilkenny TD says EU Delegation to Brazil ‘tokenistic’ ahead of crucial Mercosur vote

A visit by an MEP delegation to Brazil’s agriculture sector, ahead of a crucial EU vote on the Mercosur agreement, has been called a “last-minute, tokenistic, box-ticking exercise,” by Sinn Féin TD for Carlow Kilkenny and member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agricultural and Food, Natasha Newsome Drennan.

The delegation from the EU Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development is visiting the Brazilian agriculture sector just weeks before an important vote on the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement in Brussels.

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Deputy Newsome Drennan expressed scepticism about the value of the three-day trip, stating it raises serious questions about the depth of scrutiny being applied.

“In only a matter of weeks, EU member states will vote on the EU - Mercosur Trade Agreement, the fact that the committee is only now taking part in a site visit is beyond me,” Deputy Newsome Drennan said.

“This is not the thorough, sustained engagement required. It risks being a tokenistic, three-day photo opportunity rather than a meaningful assessment of the standard of their beef production sector.

“A short trip to a vast country like Brazil would make it impossible to conduct a comprehensive review of its beef production, and the wider agriculture sector.

“How can we have confidence in the findings if the delegation is only seeing a select few, potentially pre-approved facilities.

“What we needed over the past months was a detailed, transparent on the ground analysis by EU officials and our own stakeholders.

“Both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have members on this committee, their absence on this delegation is a disappointment considering the harsh impact this agreement will potentially have on our farms and our economy.
“We’ve heard plenty from the Government parties about their opposition to the Mercosur deal.

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“The time for sitting on the fence is over. The Irish Government must proactively work with other like-minded EU member states to halt the current Mercosur agreement, an agreement that is fundamentally flawed.

“While it may benefit some EU states, the devastating damage it poses to our family farms, our agricultural sector, and the global environment is too high a price to pay.”