Speaking at the industry event this Wednesday, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed expressed disappointment that European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström “seems to be considering an offer” for beef as part of negotiations with the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries.

“The one that frightens me most is Mercosur,” Minister Creed said. “We lead a coalition of member states who are against this in principle,” he added.

It’s crazy to consider a Mercosur offer when we don’t know where we’re going with Brexit

IFA president Joe Healy, who met Commissioner Malmström recently, also said that a decision was imminent with the possibility of a beef offer to Mercosur. This could involve increasing quotas for South American beef imports into Europe, or reducing tariffs on some high-value cuts, he added.

“It’s crazy to consider a Mercosur offer when we don’t know where we’re going with Brexit,” Healy said.

Dawn Meats group development manager Paul Nolan also said that “this is not the time” to consider importing South American beef trading at €2.30/kg as we deal with Brexit uncertainty.

“The cumulative assessment says Europe has enough beef,” he added in reference to the European Commission’s own analysis of existing and proposed trade deals.

ICMSA president John Comer has described the continuation of trade talks with Mercosur as "a reckless endangerment of the EU’s indigenous beef production as well as being a threat in terms of food safety and the environment" and called on the European Commission to suspend the negotiations.

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