Today in the Dáil, Social Democrats T.D. for Dublin Bay North, Deputy Cian O’Callaghan, questioned the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D. on the inclusion of climate change targets in the EU-UK trade deal.
Deputy Cian O’Callaghan said:
“It is really worrying that the UK is resisting the EU’s ask to include a joint commitment to the international climate change targets as part of the future trade relationship. It is crucial that we have a level playing field to avoid a race to the bottom in terms of environmental standards and workers’ rights. We must avoid UK-based firms being allowed to undercut EU firms as a result of less stringent competition and state aid rules, lower taxes and laxer social and environmental protections.”
“We must protect the ‘European Green Deal’ which proposes a ‘carbon border mechanism’ that seeks to prevent ‘carbon leakage’ – or the offshoring of emissions. A level playing field will also prevent emissions “dumping” by the UK. We cannot stand by and allow dumping, undercutting and the erosion of rights and standards that have been hard fought for over several decades. A level playing field will be an important counter-weight to the neo-liberal vision of a free market based on privatisation and deregulation.”
“The negotiations on the future EU-UK trade relationship that continue next week are crucially important for our future and for the future direction of the European Union. The UK government must not be allowed to continue to run down the clock. They must provide details and timelines of what infrastructure they will put in place to ensure inspections that protect the integrity of the single market. There is a great deal at stake here for jobs, trade, environmental standards and workers’ rights. Getting this agreement right is of vital importance for Ireland, Britain and all the people of Europe.”
[ENDS]
7th May 2020