Sinn Féin spokesperson on Climate Justice, Senator Lynn Boylan, called on Ireland to follow Austria and halt the ratification of outdated trade deals like CETA and Mercosur.

Speaking today, Senator Boylan said:

“The trade landscape is shifting. CETA and Mercosur are relics from a different era. It’s reckless to sign up to such outdated trade deals at this stage.

“The EU is moving away from these kinds of trade deals. The latest trade deals between EU-UK and EU-China don’t have investor arbitration mechanisms outside the courts.

“We cannot afford trade deals that are incompatible with the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal.

“We need trade deals that don’t invent new rights for corporations without ordinary people getting anything in return.

 “The Green Party in Austria is a minority member of the government and they just vetoed the Mercosur deal because it would lead to ‘climate catastrophe’.

“If the government is serious about our commitments under the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, they must call stop on Mercosur and CETA.”