MEPs who supported the European Court of Justice (ECJ) referral must take responsibility for their role in the fast-tracking of the Mercosur deal, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said.
In January, nine Irish MEPs voted to refer the Mercosur trade deal to the ECJ. At the time, MEP Walsh warned that the move would not stop the deal, but instead risked accelerating its application and deepening uncertainty for Irish farmers.
Today, the European Commission confirmed that the trade elements of the Mercosur deal will now be provisionally applied, before MEPs have had the opportunity to vote on the full agreement.
MEP Maria Walsh, a full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, said:
“While I’m bitterly disappointed with today’s news, it comes as no surprise to me that the Commission has decided to provisionally implement the Mercosur trade deal. I warned that the court referral would not block this deal – it would only change the route by which it comes into force. MEPs who voted in favour of the referral should feel the full weight of their decisions today.
“While provisional application is legally within the Commission’s powers, I believe it runs against the spirit of cooperation between EU institutions. MEPs should have had their say before any part of this agreement was activated.
“The referral to the ECJ was a political gesture dressed up as strategy. Those who supported it knew it was highly unlikely to deliver meaningful protections for Irish farmers. In fact, we now find ourselves in a worse position – facing earlier implementation and prolonged uncertainty for our agricultural sector.
“The situation we are in today is a mess. I envisage months of disruption and uncertainty for farmers ahead. While my voting record shows my clear opposition to Mercosur as well as a preference for stability for farmers, not all Irish MEPs can say the same.”