Mullooly calls on Government to join Polish challenge to Mercosur

Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has called on the Irish Government to become a joint party to the Polish Government’s proposed court challenge against the EU-Mercosur trade agreement.

Mr Mullooly has welcomed the Polish Government's decision to mount a legal challenge on the validity of the Mercosur agreement and urged their Irish counterparts to support and join the European country in pursuing the case.

“I commend the Polish Government for standing up in defence of its farmers,” Mr Mullooly said.

“This development presents an ideal opportunity for the Irish Government to act on the clear commitments contained in the Programme for Government, which states that Ireland will work with like-minded countries to oppose the Mercosur agreement. That time for action is now.”

Mr Mullooly also called on the Irish Government to formally request that the European Commission defer any provisional application of the EU-Mercosur Agreement until the Court has issued its ruling on the Polish legal challenge.

“It would be entirely inappropriate for the European Commission to proceed with the provisional application of this agreement while a serious legal challenge to its validity is before the Court,” Mr Mullooly said.

“The Irish Government should immediately request that the Commission defer any such application until the Court has made its determination.”

Mr Mullooly concluded by stating that the Irish Government has until May 26 to take meaningful action.

“The Government has made a clear commitment to work with like-minded countries to oppose Mercosur. Poland has now taken the lead. Ireland must not stand on the sidelines.

"If the Government is serious about defending Irish farmers and opposing this agreement, it must join Poland’s legal challenge and request that the Commission defer provisional application until the Court has ruled," the MEP said.