Ttip Report Shows Very Negative Impacts for Beef Sector

Responding to the economic analysis report from Copenhagen Economics on the impact on Ireland of a Trade agreement between the EU and US, IFA President Eddie Downey said that the report identifies very negative impacts for Ireland’s vital beef sector which the Government must ensure are addressed in any final agreement.

He said following a meeting yesterday with the authors of the report, both Copenhagen Economics and officials from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment accepted that TTIP presented very significant risks to both our beef and white meats sector.  He said that the detailed concerns raised in an IFA assessment  on TTIP  were accepted as real and that they would have to be fully addressed in any final trade deal.

Mr. Downey said that  when agricultural imports from the US are factored in the Copenhagen Economics report, overall gains for the Irish agriculture sector are marginal. Our Government must guard against selling out our vital beef and white meats sectors for potential gains in other areas that may not materialise.

In a clear warning to the Government, the IFA President said that they must immediately get involved in the negotiations to ensure that the threats to the beef pork and poultry identified from a TTIP deal are addressed with limited tariff reductions, quantities allowed in and most importantly that equivalence of standards apply in any final deal.