The battle to stop the EU-Mercosur trade deal is now down to the European Union’s 720 MEPs. Quite simply, unless they vote to reject the trade deal, it will be approved.

A simple majority of 361 is required for that to happen, with most observers feeling that is a big ask following last Friday’s ratification of Mercosur by the member states, despite Ireland’s “no” vote.

Ireland has only 14 MEPs. Of these, three have indicated they might support the deal. Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Fine Gael pair Regina Doherty and Seán Kelly seem set to disregard calls from their party leaders to vote against.

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“If we don’t see all the Government’s MEPs voting against Mercosur, we’ll feel let down,” IFA president Francie Gorman told Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon at the IFA AGM on Tuesday.

Protest

Gorman will take part in a protest in Strasbourg alongside European farmers next week as MEPs meet. Gorman was one of the many farm organisation leaders that took part in the massive Independent Ireland anti-Mercosur protest in Athlone last Saturday, where an estimated 20,000 farmers made their feelings clear.

Independent Ireland MEP Ciarán Mullooly expressed the belief that the parliament could vote no.

Minister Heydon told the Irish Farmers Journal: “MEPs are not bound by the Programme for Government, but they are answerable to their constituents. People are going to contact their MEPs and talk to them, and the MEPs will make up their mind on that basis,” he said.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is flying to South America to sign the agreement on Saturday, before the parliament vote takes place.