Walsh: European Court of Justice referral on Mercosur 'backfires'
Europe is 'now in a worse position' following a decision by some politicians to seek legal advice from Europe's top court on the Mercosur deal according to MEP Maria Walsh.
Last month a majority of MEPs at the European Parliament voted by a tight margin in favour of referring the EU-Mercosur trade agreement to the European Court of Justice.
The MEP for the Midlands North West, Maria Walsh, had warned referring the Mercosur trade deal to the European Court of Justice would create "more uncertainty for farmers" - she had voted against the move.
But nine Irish MEPs voted to refer the Mercosur trade deal to the court.
Today (Friday, February 27) the European Commission has confirmed that it will provisionally apply the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
The move comes as Argentina and Uruguay yesterday became the first Mercosur countries to ratify the deal.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a press conference this morning that "Brazil and Paraguay are expected to follow soon".
Walsh said MEPs who supported the European Court of Justice referral "must take responsibility for their role in the fast-tracking of the Mercosur deal".
Mercosur
Walsh, a full member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, said she was "bitterly disappointed"that the commission has confirmed its intention to provisionally apply the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.
But she added: "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".
Walsh today described the referral of Mercosur to the European Court of Justice as 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," the MEP for the Midlands North West said.
