ICSA president Sean McNamara has said today’s decision by the European Council to vote in favour of the Mercosur trade agreement amounts to a green light for the importation of food products that the EU cannot fully stand over and can never guarantee are 100% safe for European consumers. “Today’s vote sends a dangerous message. The European Council is prepared to allow in imports produced using practices that are outright banned for Irish and European farmers. That is beyond reckless,” he said.

Mr McNamara said it was deeply concerning that a qualified majority of member states chose to push the deal through regardless of the risks to farmers, consumers and the credibility of the EU’s food safety standards. “The Council is essentially green-flagging produce it cannot certify to the same standard and cannot honestly guarantee is safe. The fact that they are prepared to put farmers out of business and put the health of European consumers at risk for the sake of this grubby deal is a total disgrace,” he said.

 Mr McNamara said the focus must now shift immediately to the European Parliament. “The battle is far from over, but it is now entering its most critical phase. Irish MEPs must step up now, reject this deal and actively work within their political groupings to build the opposition needed to stop it.”

 He said farmers and the wider public need to make their voices heard on this issue. “ICSA will be at the protest in Athlone tomorrow, and we are calling on farmers, agri-businesses and concerned consumers to come out, stand up and make their voices heard. Political pressure matters, and silence will be taken as consent.”

 Concluding Mr McNamara said, “Ireland has done the right thing in voting no, but that will count for nothing if this deal is waved through the European Parliament. The message from Ireland must be loud, clear and impossible to ignore.”