merrion street

The Minister for Agriculture Food & Marine, Michael Creed TD today (Monday) held a number of bilateral meetings in Luxembourg on the margins of the monthly Council of Agriculture & Fisheries Ministers meeting. As part of Minister Creed’s ongoing process of engagement with his EU counterparts in an effort to build awareness of Ireland's potential exposure from an Agri-food and fisheries perspective and to seek common ground on an approach to Brexit, he today met with the Austrian Minister for Agriculture Andrä Rupprechter, the U.K. Minister of State for Agriculture Fisheries & Food George Eustice, the Luxembourg Minister for Agriculture & Consumer Protection Fernand Etgen and the EU Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan.

Commenting after today's meetings Minister Creed said “over the past month I have met with eight of my EU colleagues and the Commissioner specifically to discuss Brexit and the potential implications for the Agri-Food & fisheries sectors here in Ireland. The main thrust of these discussions has been to impress upon Ministers across the EU how important it is for Ireland to maintain its trading relationship with the U.K. and to outline the integrated nature of the North-South food economy. Furthermore I have sought to establish common ground with Member States who share similar exposure be it from a food exports or fisheries perspective in order to help shape future negotiations on such matters. Finally these meetings have provided an opportunity to raise awareness of our unique position amongst Member States who may be sensitised to the potential impact of Brexit on EU Member State economies.”

During today's Council of Ministers meeting there were discussions on the agricultural provisions of the Commission’s Omnibus proposals, CAP simplification and recent developments in relation to Brazilian meat exports to the EU.