Brussels – Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has accused European Parliament services of imposing “a political blockage dressed up as procedure” after they refused to allow the tabling of a cross-party motion requesting an opinion from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the legality of the EU-Mercosur trade agreements.
“This is an outrageous move by the Parliament management to effectively gag over 145 MEPs who are quite entitled to seek a vote on this issue under the existing Parliament rules next week in Strasbourg,” Mullooly said.
“I will fight this all the way. If this is the type of move that faceless European officials want to take against Irish farmers, denying us our rights, then we will fight it all the way and we will win. But this is about more than agriculture. It is about the European Parliament’s right to ask the Court of Justice for a legal ruling before any final vote. Blocking that right undermines the Parliament itself.”
The proposed motion, supported by MEPs from several political groups, seeks a CJEU opinion on whether the Commission’s decision to split the Mercosur package into a mixed Partnership Agreement and an EU-only Interim Trade Agreement complies with the EU Treaties. The request centres on three main concerns:
- Whether a new “rebalancing clause” could allow compensation claims even when EU rules are lawful, potentially affecting health, consumer, or environmental measures;
- Whether the split deal has bypassed national ratification requirements and altered voting rules in breach of the original mandate;
- Whether the text restricts the EU’s precautionary principle or permits dispute panels to override EU food-safety standards.
“Parliament’s rules are clear: we may seek a Court opinion any time before Parliament votes,” Mullooly stated.
“The Treaties also allow Parliament to go to Court once the text is known. We do not need to wait for the Council to move first. Saying otherwise subordinates Parliament to another institution’s calendar.”
The MEP has called on the Conference of Presidents to reverse the decision when the plenary agenda is finalised, warning: “If Parliament cannot even ask for legal clarity, our credibility is at stake. We risk creating a precedent where controversial deals are rushed through while legitimate legal doubts go untested.”
Mullooly added: “If the Parliament is prevented from exercising its Treaty-based rights, democracy in Europe is now under serious threat.”
Government parties refuse to oppose Mercosur in Dáil debate
Dublin – Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane criticised Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and Government-supporting Independents for declining to state opposition to the Mercosur agreement during a Dáil debate on a Sinn Féin motion calling for Ireland to reject the deal.
“It’s hugely concerning that in the Minister for Agriculture’s ten minutes speech in response to our Motion he never once said he or his Government oppose this deal,” Kerrane said.
“The Mercosur trade agreement is a bad deal for Irish Agriculture, it’s a bad deal for Irish and EU consumers and it’s a bad deal for the environment,” she continued.
“Negotiations are finished, the deal is done and now is the time to decide if you are for or against the deal.
”Kerrane highlighted that the agreement would allow 99,000 tonnes of beef and over 100,000 tonnes of poultry to enter the EU from South America, adding: “We all know that Irish beef is produced to a world class standard and it will be expected to compete against cheap substandard beef from South America that is produced to poor animal welfare standards with little or no traceability regulations.
”She accused the Government of adopting a “sit-back-and-wait approach” and urged it to work with other member states to form a blocking minority at the December EU Council meeting.
“Irish Agriculture, public health and the environment cannot be put at risk for the sake of selling more German cars in South America,” Kerrane said. “This is a bad deal for Ireland and Dáil Éireann needs to send a clear message that it says no to Mercosur.”
