The current version of the Mercosur trade deal will mean ‘dangerous meat’ being sold in Ireland, Ciaran Mullooly has argued. 

The trade deal between the European Union and four South American nations, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, has taken 25 years to negotiate and could yet be scuppered by opposition from agricultural interests. 

Brussels has argued the deal contains "robust safeguards" for European farmers but critics say it will allow low quality South American meat to the local market. 

On The Hard Shoulder, Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly said he has huge concerns about the “the lack of traceability involved with Brazilian beef”. 

He added that opposition to the deal is building across Europe, most notably in Brussels. 

“On the one side, we've known that Meloni was pro-Mercosur - she was strongly lobbied by the car industry,” he explained. 

“People like Fiat and others in Turin wanted this. 

“But on the other side, Italy has an equally strong beef industry and they've been coming to Brussels and Strasbourg.

“Their MEPs sit beside me and they've made it clear that they're not happy with the safety standards with regard to beef and chicken and white meat coming in from Brazil. 

“That's at the core of this.” 

Beef on display. Picture by: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said in recent months there has been a “significant change” in relation to the agricultural safeguards in the Mercosur deal. 

However, Mr Mullooly rejects that argument. 

“There's a problem with the safeguards that were agreed last night and that's the absence of the word ‘reciprocity’,” he said. 

“It's been a word that's been used at all levels in the course of these negotiations. 

“It indicated to us that the standards which apply to beef and food safety in Europe would have to apply to food coming from Brazil.

“Yet, yesterday, when it came to actually sitting down on those safeguards, remarkably, the European Commission said they could not include the word ‘reciprocity’ in the deal.” 

We have reached out to our Mercosur partners and agreed to postpone slightly the signature.

This deal is crucially important for Europe – economically, diplomatically, and geopolitically.

It opens new trade and economic opportunities for all our Member States.

With… pic.twitter.com/wqNesX4giH

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 19, 2025

Mr Mullooly added that he remains “pro-trade” - but not at any cost. 

“I want to do trade,” he said. 

“This deal should go ahead, but it has to exclude meat, which is dangerous at the end of the day. 

“Because if there's antibiotics in that meat, it's not safe… going into the food chain.” 

The European Commission has described the Mercosur as a “ win-win” for both sides, predicting that it will, ‘create opportunities for growth, jobs and sustainable development on both sides’.

Main image: Cows in Brazil. Picture by: Alamy.com.