Internal Market and Consumer Protection – EP Committee delegation to visit Ireland

From 19 to 21 December 2022, an IMCO committee delegation will visit Ireland to assess the ongoing trade relationship between the EU and the UK after Brexit.

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection delegation aims to evaluate the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland and to get a better understanding of the effects this may have on the EU internal market and the Customs Union as well as on businesses and consumers.

The delegation will be in Dublin, the Midlands and the North West Regions of Ireland. MEPs will meet with government officials, state authorities as well as representatives of business sector and SMEs. The topics to be discussed include among other things the effects of Brexit, for example on the EU single market, customs union, SMEs, consumers etc. Other issues, such as consumer rights and consumer protection, supply chains, product safety and traceability, free movement of goods between Ireland and Northern Ireland, single market and digital single market are also expected to come up.

The delegation consists of following IMCO committee members:

Anna Cavazzini (Greens/EFA, Germany, IMCO Chair and head of delegation)

Deirdre Clune (EPP, Ireland)

Antonius Manders (EPP, Netherlands)

Adriana Maldonado Lopez (S&D, Spain)

Marco Campomenosi (ID, Italy)

The group is led by IMCO committee Chair, Anna Cavazzini. In anticipation of the trip, she said: „As Chair of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection, I am very pleased to lead this delegation on its visit to Ireland. We are all very much aware of the importance of the ongoing EU-UK discussions on future relations so I look forward to exchanging views on this as well as other issues with representatives of Irish government, business sector and SMEs, and those involved in consumer protection.

Our delegation will visit businesses with constituent parts of their day-to-day activities based in both jurisdictions in Ireland. Our intention is to obtain a better appreciation of the challenges that they face. I am confident the experience gained will greatly enhance IMCO Committee’s input into the Parliament’s wider assessment of the direction and outcome of the EU-UK discussions, in particular as regards the implementation of Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland“.

Further information

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection 

IMCO homepage – mission to Ireland