Speculation is mounting that Italy is poised to join France in a bid to secure a blocking minority against the EU-Mercosur deal and that a crunch EU vote on the deal is to be deferred.
The Italian development comes after France moved to delay the key vote into January because of its concerns about the deal.
On Monday night, Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly welcomed the move by the French and Italian governments to defer the vote on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which had been scheduled to take place in Strasbourg this week.
Mullooly said he strongly welcomes this development and hopes that the postponement will allow for further negotiations, greater clarity and a genuine recognition of the serious concerns held by Irish and European farmers, including those in Ireland, France and Italy, in relation to the trade agreement.
“It is also increasingly clear that the so-called safeguards must be revisited,” Mullooly said.
"Recent analysis suggests that the impact of this agreement on farmgate prices could be far greater than originally envisaged.”
Protest
The news comes as farmers from across Europe, including Ireland, are making their way to Brussels to protest over the trade agreement, CAP proposals and red tape in farming.
Among them is Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman, who left Dublin on Monday morning with his son Tom in a John Deere bound for Rosslare to get to Brussels.
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has called on the Irish Government to reject the deal outright.
The Irish Government's position on the deal is unclear.
However, on Friday, An Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the jury was still out on whether a blocking minority existed to oppose the deal.
He reiterated the coalition's promise in the Programme for Government that Ireland would work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for farmers on the deal.
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Fine Gael MEP Walsh calls on Irish Government to reject Mercosur deal
Brazilian beef with banned hormones enters EU foodchain
Speculation is mounting that Italy is poised to join France in a bid to secure a blocking minority against the EU-Mercosur deal and that a crunch EU vote on the deal is to be deferred.
The Italian development comes after France moved to delay the key vote into January because of its concerns about the deal.
On Monday night, Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly welcomed the move by the French and Italian governments to defer the vote on the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which had been scheduled to take place in Strasbourg this week.
Mullooly said he strongly welcomes this development and hopes that the postponement will allow for further negotiations, greater clarity and a genuine recognition of the serious concerns held by Irish and European farmers, including those in Ireland, France and Italy, in relation to the trade agreement.
“It is also increasingly clear that the so-called safeguards must be revisited,” Mullooly said.
"Recent analysis suggests that the impact of this agreement on farmgate prices could be far greater than originally envisaged.”
Protest
The news comes as farmers from across Europe, including Ireland, are making their way to Brussels to protest over the trade agreement, CAP proposals and red tape in farming.
Among them is Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) president Francie Gorman, who left Dublin on Monday morning with his son Tom in a John Deere bound for Rosslare to get to Brussels.
Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has called on the Irish Government to reject the deal outright.
The Irish Government's position on the deal is unclear.
However, on Friday, An Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the jury was still out on whether a blocking minority existed to oppose the deal.
He reiterated the coalition's promise in the Programme for Government that Ireland would work with like-minded EU countries to stand up for farmers on the deal.
Read more
Jury still out on whether blocking minority exists on Mercosur deal – Harris
France demands delay on signing Mercosur trade deal
Fine Gael MEP Walsh calls on Irish Government to reject Mercosur deal
Brazilian beef with banned hormones enters EU foodchain
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