Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s comments at the end of last week in relation to any decision on the Mercosur trade deal being taken “in the round”, along with the EU Commission’s decision to extend Ireland’s nitrates derogation, have created huge concern in beef circles.
We have asked the Taoiseach to clarify his comments but have not had a response. Creating a divide between two farming sectors is a dangerous precedent and something farm organisations have been very careful to avoid over the last number of months as they lobbied for both a block to the Mercosur deal and an extension to Ireland’s nitrates derogation. Important questions must be answered.
On granting the nitrates derogation extension, did the commission infer that Ireland would be required to vote in favour of Mercosur?
Has the linking of the nitrates derogation extension and Ireland’s Mercosur vote been discussed at Cabinet?
The two items were completely separate in the programme for Government and farm organisations are adamant that there were no links between the two at any stage of negotiations on extending the nitrates derogation.
All eyes now turn to early January when the EU Commission has pushed to get the Mercosur deal across the line by the end of the first week of January to allow Ursula von der Leyen, commission president, to fly to Paraguay for further ratification of the deal.
Final hurdle
The final hurdle will take place in the parliament at some point in spring 2026. Italy still holds the trump card with the Italian prime minister poised in maximum leverage mode over the next two weeks.
What concessions and reassurances Italy can achieve during the period will dictate what way the vote goes.
If it goes through, attention will then turn to focusing on a fully funded CAP budget to allay farmer concerns on the implications of the Mercosur deal being ratified.
SHARING OPTIONS