Mandelson accuses farmers of lying over treaty
Wednesday May 07 2008
EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson yesterday accused the Irish Farmers' Association of lying to voters ahead of the upcoming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty.
Mr Mandelson insisted the EU reform treaty should not be linked to any world trade deal.
"The Irish Farmers Association are getting their facts wrong. The first step is for people to understand what's really at stake in these negotiations and why the Irish beef industry can and will be secured," he said.
"Rejecting the treaty would not be in Ireland's interests. It wouldn't be in Europe's interests."
The IFA has threatened to oppose the new treaty, if Mr Mandelson manages to carve a World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement before the vote on June 12.
Ireland is the only member of the EU holding a referendum on the treaty and a No vote could topple the new EU project.
Mr Mandelson rejected claims by the IFA that a WTO deal will crucify the country's agriculture industry.
"For example, beef tariffs would not come down by 70pc with a successful Doha deal, as some are suggesting in Ireland. We are proposing that beef be treated as a sensitive product and this means a reduction of just 23pc," he said. "Irish beef has a strong future."
Defended
The IFA's president, Padraig Walshe, yesterday defended the body's stance, accusing Mr Mandelson of "perverting the facts". Mr Walshe said he stood over the facts as provided by the IFA.
"Mandelson pretends that massive imports of South American beef will not damage the Irish food industry," he added.
The trade commissioner's suggestion of attributing "sensitive product status" for beef under the WTO agreement was not a "viable solution", Mr Walshe insisted.
He accused the commissioner of displaying "breath-taking arrogance" in demanding people vote for the Lisbon Treaty, when the "undeniable fact" was the WTO deal would wipe out 50,000 farmers and cost the economy €4bn.
"I want to remind the British commissioner that there is a strong link between his WTO concessions and the Lisbon Treaty," Mr Walshe said.
According to the IFA, EU imports of Brazilian beef would expand by 780,000 tonnes, forcing the price of Irish cattle prices down.
- Darren Ennis in Brussels
