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EU and Mexico fail to conclude political agreement on trade deal
There will be no modernised trade deal with Mexico for Christmas. Despite having spent three days in Brussels, Mexican economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo hasn't managed to break the deadlock over the contentious outstanding issues, namely geographical indications and investment protection.
The UN makes progress on multinationals’ duty of care
The UN has confirmed that a treaty on multinational corporations’ respect for human rights is in the making, despite opposition from developed countries. EURACTIV France reports.
Multilateral Investment Court: an utterly flawed and unjust system
The European Commission's plans for a Multilateral Investment Court sanctions a biased and ineffective arbitration system, leaving people and the environment exposed to international investors' whims, writes Fabian Flues.
CETA goes live, but not without foes
On Thursday (21 September), the EU-Canada trade agreement enters provisionally into force, sparking a rehash of old claims.
Belgium seeks EU court opinion on EU-Canada free trade deal
Belgium asked the European Court of Justice on Wednesday (6 September) for its view on the EU-Canada free-trade agreement, part of a compromise reached with its French-speaking Wallonia region, which had threatened to block the deal last year.
EU-Japan trade deal learns nothing from ‘TTIP mistakes’
The European Commission is negotiating a free trade deal with Japan behind closed doors. Critics complain that Brussels has learned nothing from the controversy surrounding CETA and TTIP. EURACTIV Germany reports.
EU, US to set up joint task force to make progress on trade in Trump era
The European Union and the United States agreed on Thursday (25 May) to set up a joint delegation to increase trade cooperation, after the EU-US free trade deal negotiations were put on ice with the election of Donald Trump.
Trust in EU trade policy boosted by court decision
Following the European Court of Justice’s landmark ruling on the EU-Singapore trade deal, MEP Christofer Fjellner urges the Commission to come up with a roadmap so future agreements do not face the same gauntlet as the EU-Canada deal.
Singapore trade deal cannot be concluded by EU alone, ECJ rules
The European Union will have to secure approval from national parliaments in order to finalise a free trade deal with Singapore. The bloc’s top court ruled that the agreement in "its current form" cannot be handled by the Commission acting alone.
France’s top court questions constitutionality of CETA
The French Constitutional Court has launched a full investigation into the EU-Canada free trade deal CETA. The deal’s opponents call for it to be suspended. EURACTIV France reports.
MEPs approve EU-Canada trade deal
After a heated debate in Parliament on Wednesday (15 February), MEPs have given the green light to the EU-Canada trade agreement, clearing the way for the deal to come into force provisionally this spring.
Paris counts on Trump to shock EU into action on trade
The EU must latch onto the change of tack announced by the United States regarding international trade, and use it as an opportunity to redefine its own trade policy, according to France’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade. EURACTIV France reports.
CETA and the crumbling Grand Coalition
European Parliament President Martin Schulz hasn’t vacated his post yet but talk of the Grand Coalition falling apart is already rife in Brussels. Final approval of CETA could be a huge opportunity for the socialists to claw back some ground, writes Pieter de Pous.
Wallonia proposes new rules for negotiating international trade deals
The Belgian region of Wallonia, which gained worldwide notoriety by keeping the CETA agreement and an EU-Canada summit hostage for several days, unveiled the Namur Declaration on Monday (5 December), proposing a new way to negotiate international trade treaties.
CETA is ‘no gold standard’ finds report, ahead of vote in Parliament
New research has found that the EU-Canada trade deal fails to deliver on environmental promises and does nothing to encourage the transition to renewable energy or to enforce other climate mitigation measures called for in the Paris Agreement.
Susan George: Tax the rich and corporations
French-American political scientist and activist Susan George says that the political mainstream has abandoned many people – and they vote for populists. On CETA, she does not consider it very different from TTIP, George told EURACTIV Slovakia.
The Wallonian mouse that roared
The relief that accompanied the 11th hour agreement between Wallonia and Europe on the EU-Canada trade deal shows little has been learned from the ongoing debate over the “winners and losers of globalisation", writes Steven Hill.
Belgium plans new talks to break EU-Canada trade deadlock
Belgium's political leaders are set for a new round of talks to try and resolve differences that have blocked a landmark EU-Canada free trade deal.
Udo Bullmann: It is ‘correct’ to give regions say on CETA deal
SPD MEP Udo Bullmann does not think it is a mistake to make agreements like the teetering CETA deal dependent on the approval of regions like Wallonia. EURACTIV's partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Schulz makes a plea to back EU-Canada trade deal
European Parliament President Martin Schulz made a plea on Wednesday (19 October) to back the EU-Canada trade deal insisting it has the power to shape globalisation.
The Brief: Nicola the Bruce
Robert the Bruce was a Scottish king. He is famous for two things, one of which involves a spider. The other involves thumping the English.
Commission faces EU court battle over secret TTIP documents
EXCLUSIVE/ The European Commission faces an EU court battle to keep secret its lawyers’ analysis on whether the controversial investor-state-dispute (ISDS) clause in draft trade deals with the USA and Canada is illegal.
Leaked CETA declaration given short shrift
Five leaked pages of a draft declaration on the EU-Canada trade deal, CETA, have surfaced ahead of a Council meeting on 18 October when all member states will be asked to adopt it. It has done little to placate the concerns of the agreement's critics. EURACTIV Germany reports.