By Veronica Ocvirk. The free trade agreement between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of Latin American countries will benefit EU multinationals but pose serious disadvantages for local industries in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. “President, we have an agreement!” This WhatsApp audio message went viral in Argentina with […]
Barnyard socialism revisited: Farmers are victims of market manipulation
By Niall Monaghan. For what toil the sons of Róisín, is it pennies? In this period of increased focus on the climate breakdown, our primary producers are often perceived as holding back progress. They are commonly viewed as another polluter that must be challenged to change their ways. But farmers […]
The Left and the EU: Steering a course of principled resistance to neoliberalism
By Andy Storey. Trawling through the website of the Irish Freedom Party (IFP) – the group calling for Irish exit (Irexit) from the European Union (EU) – is a strange experience. Amidst the xenophobia and often crude and puerile attacks on left-wingers, there are moments where those same left-wingers might […]
Brexit may force Irish poultry industry to compete with subsidised US factory farms
By Cillian Doyle. Consider this scenario: the year is 2020, Britain has left the European Union and signed a free trade deal with the United States, and the Irish poultry industry now faces stiff competition in its chief export market from highly subsidised US producers. Now ask yourself, how much […]
Captured states: When EU governments act as middlemen for corporate interests
EU endorses corporate power grab through secret investment courts
By Emma Clancy. This week the European Parliament voted to ratify the EU-Singapore free trade agreement, and voted separately to ratify the EU-Singapore Investment Protection Agreement. The investment agreement includes an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism, which is why it was voted on separately. Irish MEPs from Fine Gael were […]