Irish fear big losses on Mercosur beef deal

The EU’s trade chief, Karel De Gucht, has said the European Commission remains supportive of a trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur beef trading states despite Irish opposition to a deal.

Agriculture minister Simon Coveney has signalled Ireland’s concern that the Irish beef sector could be ‘‘sacrificed’’ to allow more South American beef into the EU, in return for allowing European financial service providers and German and French car-makers to gain access to ...