Wednesday

29th Mar 2023

  1. Section
  2. Stakeholders

Stakeholder

EU-Canada trade deal is 'value-based'

  • Malmstrom: "The crown jewel of EU policy has in many ways been our trade policy." (Photo: ALDE Party)

By

At the invitation of ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen MEP, leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt, and Prime Minister of Belgium Charles Michel; liberal Prime Ministers and European Commissioners met at the Egmont Palace in Brussels on Thursday (20 October) ahead of the European Council Summit of the same day.

Syria, Russia, the Turkey migration deal, and the refugee crisis were among the topics discussed. But the majority of the pre-summit meeting was focused on the uncertain status of the EU-Canada trade agreement (Ceta).

Broader repercussions for EU trade

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

Choose your plan

... or subscribe as a group

Don't miss out on

Our exclusive news stories and investigations. Influential. Investigative. Independent.

Lisbeth Kirk

Why join?

Watch our founder Lisbeth Kirk explain the reasons in this 30-second video.

At the press conference, following the meeting, EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom defended the agreement, calling Ceta a "value-based" trade agreement.

"What the NGOs have been calling for in trade agreements for years is actually in Ceta. There are very strong provisions on labour rights and human rights. There's even animal rights referred to in there. There is sustainable development and a commitment to work together on the climate goals of Paris," Malmstrom said.

She also pointed out that "the crown jewel of EU policy has in many ways been EU trade policy." A failed Ceta negotiation will have "broader repercussions for EU trade policy."

Brexit with or without a deal

Another important topic of discussion was Brexit. At the press conference, ALDE party president Hans van Baalen said that the leaders of the party have concluded that "once article 50 is invoked, in 2 years time there has to be a deal and if there is no deal there will be a Brexit without a deal."

The full press conference from the ALDE party pre-summit meeting can be viewed here.

Disclaimer

This article is sponsored by a third party. All opinions in this article reflect the views of the author and not of EUobserver.

Site Section

  1. Stakeholders

Related stories

  1. EU and Wallonia still stuck on Canada accord
  2. Canada trade deal is 'wrong enemy'
  3. Belgian nail-biter threatens EU free trade
  4. TTIP negotiators lower expectations
  5. Unleashing the sharing economy
  6. Belgium breaks Ceta deadlock
EU and Wallonia still stuck on Canada accord

While EU ambassadors gave their tacit apporoval for a new text based on wallonia's requests, the French-speaking Belgian region again rejected to sign off the Canada-EU trade deal.

Interview

Canada trade deal is 'wrong enemy'

The EU's trade deal with Canada is coming under pressure from critics and member states, but the EP rapporteur argues supporters of protectionism are picking the wrong enemy.

Belgian nail-biter threatens EU free trade

Officials have launched an 11th-hour mission to stop Wallonia, a Belgian region, from blocking a major deal with Canada, amid a broader rethink on EU free trade.

TTIP negotiators lower expectations

At the end of the 15th round of TTIP talks, EU officials are no longer thinking of closing the deal before Barack Obama leaves office.

Unleashing the sharing economy

The size of the sharing economy has doubled between 2014 and 2015, according to the European Commission. Along with it are new business models that EU legislation have yet to keep up with.

Belgium breaks Ceta deadlock

[Updated] Belgian leaders signed a joint declaration, clearing the way for the government to sign the EU-Canada trade pact. Wallonia's leader Paul Magnette said it was a victory for his people, and the rest of Europe.

EU, wake up! Don't leave West Balkans to Russia or China

Russia's attack on Ukraine and European values must remind us how important the enlargement process is, if properly conducted, as a motor for democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and prosperity, write six S&D MEPs.

Dialogue and action – Nordic cooperation and view on COP26

Nordic countries launched several initiatives at the COP26 climate conference which will have a real impact on the ground. Nordic and UK pension funds are to invest billions in clean energy and climate initiatives. Greenland has joined the Paris Agreement.

Latest News

  1. EU approves 2035 phaseout of polluting cars and vans
  2. New measures to shield the EU against money laundering
  3. What does China really want? Perhaps we could try asking
  4. Dear EU, the science is clear: burning wood for energy is bad
  5. Biden's 'democracy summit' poses questions for EU identity
  6. Finnish elections and Hungary's Nato vote in focus This WEEK
  7. EU's new critical raw materials act could be a recipe for conflict
  8. Okay, alright, AI might be useful after all

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality
  6. Promote UkraineInvitation to the National Demonstration in solidarity with Ukraine on 25.02.2023

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us