'No to Mercosur' campaign to distribute 20,000 leaflets in Ireland and Europe - MEP
A new "education and awareness" campaign has been launched in Strasbourg by the MEP Ciaran Mullooly to highlight the "dangers of the Mercosur trade deal" .
According to the Midlands North West MEP the latest campaign will see 20,000 leaflets distributed in Ireland and throughout Europe to inform EU citizens about the "significant risks" that the EU-Mercosur trade deal "poses to European family farms".
Mullooly told Agriland that he believes there is "growing opposition" to the Mercosur deal among MEPs and that significant geo-political changes since it was signed, particularly in relation to US President Donald Trump's tariffs, which he says are forcing a re-think by some in relation to Mercosur.
Last night (Tuesday, March 11) he hosted an event in Strasbourg which brought together MEPs from various member states to discuss their concerns about the trade deal especially in relation to food safety standards.
Among these were the Dutch MEP, Jessika van Leeuwen, who highlighted at the event "the lack of basic traceability systems for medication use in Mercosur countries" and also outlined that the national laws of these countries "do not require farms to record administered substances like hormones and antibiotics".
Mullooly said: "The world situation has changed since the Mercosur agreement was signed in December 2024 and food security is on the agenda more than before.
"The awareness campaign aims to mobilise public opinion in favour of stricter provisions that protect European farmers and consumers, ensuring the European Parliament scrutinises the agreement closely to address its long-term implications."
According to the MEP the campaign leaflets will be distributed at livestock markets and other farming events in Ireland and other MEPs have also undertaken to ensure that they will be shared in their own countries.
Mullooly acknowledged that while not every European country will change its position on the EU Mercosur deal he said the 'No to Mercosur' campaign now intends to "focus on gaining critical support from MEPs in other countries who have not yet declared their position".
He said the campaign has secured support from MEPs from the Netherlands, Austria, Belgium, France, Poland, Germany, Italy and Ireland who have pledged to vote against the deal.
"We will now move to two strategic measures aimed at growing the pan European support in the next two months," Mullooly added.
