The statement comes after the EU finalized its offer this week to include a quota of 70,000 tons of beef and of 600,000 tons of ethanol in a potential trade deal set to be discussed in the next round of trade talks on October 2-6.
Chairman of Copa and Cogeca Beef Working Party Jean-Pierre Fleury said “It is incomprehensible that the EU Commission has put beef in its market access offer to Mercosur when investigations into the Brazilian beef scandal have not been completed. Export certificates were falsified for ten years or more and veterinary requirements not complied with in Brazil. We have some of the highest food safety and animal welfare standards in the world and we cannot undermine these”.
He continued: “The amount we are talking about is equivalent to 1.7 million suckler cows in the EU and would result in 40% of high value cuts that do not originate from the EU being consumed. Beyond the devastating impact on the EU beef sector, growth and jobs in rural areas where often no alternative source of employment exists would be jeoparadized. It is unacceptable that the Commission is sacrificing the EU agriculture sector and allowing double standards on the Single Market”.
Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said “We need fair and balanced trade agreements. It is not the time to propose this when we do not know the impact of the Brexit talks. With 45% of Irish beef destined for the UK market, we cannot start to think of putting further pressure on the EU beef market in a trade pact with the Latin America countries. Ethanol must be excluded too and we have serious concerns about orange juice, fruit and vegetables. We already import substantial volumes from these countries and get no reciprocity from them. Eleven Member States support these concerns and we urge them to reject the plan ahead of the talks next week”.
Copa and Cogeca met with Commissioners Hogan and Malmstrom this week to underline these concerns and will hold further meetings with Member States over the week-end.
