Mullooly challenges EU Commissioner over Brazilian beef route through Northern Ireland
Independent Ireland politician who has served as a Member of the European Parliament for the Midlands–North-West constituency, Ciaran Mullooly, has called for guarantees that Brazilian beef restricted from entering the EU cannot reach the Single Market through Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Mr Mullooly raised the issue directly with EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič during a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on reforms to the Union Customs Code.
While welcoming efforts to provide greater certainty for businesses and consistency for customs officials across the European Union, the Midlands MEP said the issue of Brazilian beef highlighted questions about how the new customs arrangements would operate in practice.
He pointed to measures introduced by EU Health and Safety Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi concerning Brazilian beef and questioned how those restrictions would be enforced given the UK's continued ability to receive such imports.
“ This beef is coming into the UK and Northern Ireland has a particular position in relation to our European Single Market,” Mr Mullooly told Commissioner Šefčovič.
He sought assurances that customs officials would be able to protect European food-safety standards and prevent beef restricted from entering the EU from finding an indirect route into the Single Market.
Mr Mullooly said the issue was particularly important for Irish farmers, who are required to meet high standards in areas including food safety, traceability and production.
Following the debate, he said the principle was straightforward: where the EU has determined that Brazilian beef cannot meet the requirements for entry to the European market, that decision must be enforceable at every potential point of entry.
“Irish and European farmers are required to meet exceptionally high standards on food safety, traceability and production,” he said.
“We cannot have uncertainty about whether imported beef which is barred from direct entry into the European Union could find another route towards the Single Market.”
Mr Mullooly said he would continue seeking a clear guarantee from the European Commission that the customs system is sufficiently robust to prevent such a situation from arising.