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McConalogue Highlights Urgent Covid-19, Brexit and Other Market Challenges

Minister McConalogue highlights Mercosur concerns

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., today stressed the need for ongoing readiness to deploy all necessary EU support measures to help farmers and the EU agriculture sector to deal with the significant market challenges presented by Covid-19 and Brexit. In particular, Minister McConalogue reiterated Ireland’s concerns over a EU / Mercosur trade deal and its potential impacts on Irish farming.

Speaking at today's Informal Videoconference of EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers, Minister McConalogue said, "The agri-food sector is still significantly affected by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and is also facing into the eye of the storm as the end of the Brexit transition period looms.  Significant and ongoing support will be required in order to keep supply chains operational and to prevent the collapse of a vital sector.  Longer-term, more sustainable solutions will also be needed, for example in the area of food industry investment in market and product diversification."

The Minister also took the opportunity provided by the tabling of an AOB point by Austria to reiterate Ireland's long-standing concerns in relation to the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement. He said that economic and environmental sustainability issues remain to be addressed, and looked forward to the completion of the Government-commissioned Economic and Sustainability Impact Assessment in this regard. He also called for the Commission's assessment of the cumulative effects of free trade agreements to be updated.