Mullooly: 'Respect for legal process is essential in EU trade policy'
An Irish MEP has hit out at the European Commission following a decision to provisionally apply the EU-Mercosur trade deal.
Argentina and Uruguay yesterday (Thursday, February 26) became the first Mercosur countries to ratify the controversial agreement.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed this morning that the commission will now proceed with provisional application of the deal.
She noted that "the agreement can only be fully concluded once the European Parliament has given its consent".
Trade
Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly warned that the move "undermines democratic process and legal certainty".
"I strongly condemn the decision by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to proceed with the provisional application of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.”
"This move represents a clear breach of the democratic position adopted by the European Parliament, which has sought judicial clarification before any implementation of the agreement.
"The matter remains before the European Court of Justice, and no adjudication has yet been delivered regarding the legal validity of proceeding with provisional application.
"To advance implementation in the absence of judicial determination undermines the authority of the court and disregards the institutional balance established under the EU Treaties," he said.
Mercosur
Mullooly said that respect for legal process is essential in EU trade policy.
"International trade agreements must be compliant not only with political preference but with binding legal obligations.
"Respect for process is not optional; it is foundational.
"We have now reached a troubling juncture in the European Union, where the leadership of the European Commission appears willing to bypass both parliamentary scrutiny and pending judicial review," he said.
The MEP also called on the Irish government to clarify its role in the decision.
Mullooly said he and "like-minded colleagues" would intensify scrutiny of imports and push for strict enforcement of EU standards from the first day of any provisional implementation.
Contempt
Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan is also critical of the decision to provisionally implement the Mercosur trade deal.
“We now see that the commission president clearly holds the opinions of MEPs and by extension the states that sent them to the parliament, as well as the entire community of EU farmers in absolute contempt,” Deputy Nolan said.
Deputy Nolan said this is "a despicable move regardless of how the commission president and her allies try to dress this up or legitimate it".
"It will have confirmed every fear we have about the creeping authoritarianism within the EU.
"I think this decision will rightly infuriate farmers and non-farmers alike because it powerfully demonstrates that behind of all the EU’s rhetoric about democracy and the rule of law, it doesn’t actually believe that people should a voice when that voice disagrees with their own position or agenda," she claimed.
