BRUSSELS, Belgium (Reuters) — The parliament of Belgium’s French-speaking region of Wallonia and other regional assemblies voted in favour of a planned European Union-Canada trade agreement Oct. 28, ending opposition that had threatened to destroy it
Lawmakers of Wallonia, which led resistance to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), voted 58 for and five against, after Belgian politicians agreed to an addendum Oct. 27 to allay concerns after weeks of tough negotiations.
The parliaments of Brussels and the French-speaking community also approved the deal the following day, as expected, given similar Socialist-led coalitions in control.
Read Also
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Acknowledging the past, seeking a better future
How can the treaty rights of Indigenous peoples be honoured in a way that gives them a proper seat at the table when it comes to farming in Canada?
All 28 EU governments back CETA, which supporters say could increase trade by 20 percent. But Belgium’s central government had been prevented from giving its consent because it needed approval from sub-federal authorities.
Wallonia’s Socialist premier, Paul Magnette, who had become a hero to protesters across Europe, said Belgian negotiations had led to a deal he could live with.
“The amended and corrected CETA is more just than the old CETA. It offers more guarantees and it is what I will defend,” Magnette said.
The Belgian addendum addresses fears that a system to protect foreign investors could strengthen multinationals. It also provides a safeguard clause for farmers.
“With this saga, which I must say made some noise, everybody in Europe knows the Walloon parliament exists,” he said.
The Belgian dispute over CETA reflects a split in the country between a richer, Dutch-speaking north and a largely French-speaking south that has struggled to cope with the decline of its coal and steel industries.
But not everyone in Wallonia agreed with Magnette.
“It is clear that the text of CETA stays the same: the DNA of CETA is one of deregulation and it puts nations in competition at an unprecedented level,” said Frederic Gillot of PTB-GO, a hard-left party that is winning voters from the Socialists.
European leaders still have to confirm a date for CETA to be signed.
The agreement could partially come into effect next year, some eight years after talks began, as long as the European Parliament also backs it. It would bring in tariff reductions before national and regional parliaments complete ratification.
The opposition to CETA is part of a growing backlash in the West against globalization, with the fiercest protests against a proposed EU-United States deal best known by its initials, TTIP.
Protesters say TTIP and CETA would strengthen multinationals and degrade food, environmental and labour standards.
