Kelly to represent EU on delegation for relations with the US

Ireland South MEP, Seán Kelly, has been appointed to the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the United States. This is Mr Kelly’s second term serving on the Delegation, as he represented the EU Parliament in talks with the US during his previous term of office.

“I am delighted to be re-appointed to the EU Delegation for Relations with the US. Given ongoing EU-US trade talks on a potential transatlantic agreement, and various other issues that concern both world powers such as data protection, the digital agenda and much more, it is vital that the views of European citizens are represented. That’s exactly the aim of this Delegation of MEPs, as elected representatives of EU citizens,” Mr Kelly said in Strasbourg on Wednesday.

“It is especially important that Ireland has a strong representation on the EU-US delegation due to our close and historical relationship with the States, and the many millions of those who live in the States but claim Irish ancestry. The US is also Ireland’s main non-EU export destination accounting for a quarter of our trade in goods by March of this year.

“EU-wide, the United States accounted for €619 billion or 18 percent of total EU trade in goods in 2015,” Mr Kelly added.

MEP Kelly, the Leader of the Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament has attended many high-level meetings with US lawmakers in Washington and in Europe in his capacity on the delegation during his previous term.