BRUSSELS: European Union foreign trade ministers failed to lock down the proposed free-trade CETA deal with Canada, but Union leaders feel they can still make it happen before October 27th.
That’s the day Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is due to fly there and sign it. The holdup comes from Wallonia, the francophone southern region of Belgium.
Farmers there feel they’ll be priced out of the market by cheaper Canadian imports. They’re also afraid if CETA goes through, the American version TTIP will soon follow, leading to more imports.
Canada’s International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland says she’s cautiously optimistic about getting the deal done.
She admits there’s not much that can be done from her side as the 28 European Ministers must unanimously approve the agreement. The Belgian government can’t do so without Wallonia’s support because the country’s constitution grants veto rights to each of its three regional governments.
