Young farmer organisation, Macra has welcomed the vote today (Wednesday, January 21) of the European Parliament to request an opinion of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the compatibility of the EU-Mercosur trade agreement with the Treaties of the EU.

The majority of MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg voted in favour of a resolution requesting legal advice from the ECJ to see if the EU Mercosur Partnership Agreement and Interim Trade Agreement are compliant with the Treaties.

This effectively delays the formal ratification of the deal until the legal advice is provided, with some sources stating that it could take 18-24 months.

The vote at the parliament saw 334 MEPs vote in favour of referring the deal to the European courts, and 324 voting against such a move. 11 MEPs abstained from voting at all.

The vote follows weeks of farmer protests and lobbying at national and EU level, in which Macra members and young farmers from across Europe participated to voice their concerns about the agreement.

‘Positive development’

Macra president Josephine O’Neill said: “When it comes to Ireland, we produce our beef and poultry to the highest standards and pride ourselves on this with this deal undermining the standards our farmers must follow.

“It is vital that as a nation we ensure that our sector is viable for the next generation.

The trade deal element of the partnership agreement would see 99,000t of beef, mostly from Brazil, arrive into the EU on a reduced tariff of 7.5%.

In exchange, the EU will be able to export goods to the Mercosur countries at much more favourable tariffs, such as machinery and cars, but also agri-food produce such as olive oil and dairy.