MEP calls for Government to join Polish court in challenging Mercosur deal

Kenneth Fox

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

The Polish Government is preparing to mount a legal challenge to the validity of the Mercosur agreement. Mr Mullooly has welcomed this development and urged the Irish Government to support and join Poland in pursuing the case.

Mercosur will remove duties on 91 per cent of EU exports, including for cars, from a current 35 per cent over a period of 15 years. ‍

The EU will progressively remove duties on 92 per cent of Mercosur exports over a period of up to 10 years.

Mercosur will also remove duties on EU agriculture-based products, such as the 27 per cent on wines and 35 per cent on spirits.

For more ‍sensitive farm products, the EU will offer increased quotas, including 99,000 metric tons more beef, while Mercosur will give the EU a duty-free 30,000-ton quota for cheeses.

Speaking about the Polish court challenge, Mullolly said: “I commend the Polish Government for standing up in defence of its farmers.”

“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 26th, 2026 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 deadline is clear. The Irish Government has until May 26th, 2026. It must act now.” Mr Mullooly said.