Today, European and Canadian leaders formally signed the EU-Canada free trade pact. Following the EU Council’s green light, Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament welcome that CETA can now become a reality and are confident that it will set standards for the EU’s future trade relations.
Today, European and Canadian leaders formally signed the EU-Canada free trade pact. Following the EU Council’s green light, Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament welcome that CETA can now become a reality and are confident that it will set standards for the EU’s future trade relations.
Guy Verhofstadt, President of the ALDE group in the European Parliament, said today:
“I am happy that we finally came to an agreement on CETA. This agreement with Canada is the best and most modern that the EU has ever negotiated. We should bear in mind that the EU negotiates trade agreements in order to deliver more jobs, growth and consumer choices for it citizens; these trade agreements cannot and will not replace government’s social policy or welfare distribution that is a national and sometimes regional competence. Member States have voluntarily pooled competence at an EU level in order to leverage our influence on a global level. We must not give up on that.”
“In times of increasing globalisation, a retreat into protectionism is a poorer alternative. We should use agreements like CETA to create a framework and rules for global connectivity. Instead of being afraid of globalisation, we have to develop it actively ourselves.”
MEP Marietje Schaake, ALDE trade coordinator, added:
„We have worked hard for 7 years to get a good agreement for European and Canadian people. Together we can create sustainable growth, jobs and raise the standard of global trade rules. CETA gives European companies the best treatment ever in trade history, and protects more than a hundred European products in Canada. Together we agreed to protect labour, environmental and social standards while preserving governments’ right to regulate in the public interest. The Trudeau government has adopted the reformed investment protection system that the European Commission reshaped, reflecting EU citizens’ concerns. I am happy we played an active role in shaping a good agreement and in addressing people’s concerns and wishes. Now the European Parliament must take its responsibility. We should vote and adopt CETA as soon as we can.”
