MEP Maria Walsh has requested the European Commission to conduct a thorough investigation into the reported illegal sale of antibiotics in Brazil and the implications for the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.
Maria Walsh MEP, a full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, wrote to EU Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič today to highlight an investigation from the Irish Farmers Journal and the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA). The investigation revealed that prescription-only antibiotics were sold over the counter without any prescription, ID, or herd number. The investigation also documented the use of banned growth promoters such as monensin in cattle feed and the unregulated sale of hormones.
The reported findings from the investigation raise serious concerns for the Irish beef sector in light of the EU-Mercosur Agreement.
Maria Walsh MEP said:
“I’m deeply concerned about the reported illegal sale of antibiotics, growth promoters and hormones. With these medicines readily available in Brazil, they could be making their way to Irish shores shortly if the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement is passed.
“I have written to the Commissioner for Trade who has ultimate responsibility for this Agreement, Maroš Šefčovič, to formally request a Commission investigation into these findings. I have also called on Commissioner Šefčovič to provide clarity on how the proposed Mercosur safeguards will be enforced, particularly with regard to banned substances and antimicrobial usage.
“Time and again I have called for a level playing field for our farmers. How can this be guaranteed when medicines which are banned in the EU are available over the counter in Mercosur countries?
“The investigation identified a list of issues; illegal sale of antibiotics, use of growth promoters, traceability issues, no animal database for recording medicine use and no database to record medicine purchases.
“The Commission must investigate these reports and present their findings in full to the European Parliament. This is an agricultural trade issue, but also it is an issue of trust and safety for consumers across the EU.”