About: Wallonia
After Wallonia’s veto on CETA, 60 academics defend EU democracy in trade
EXCLUSIVE / After the near-death experience of CETA, the controversial EU-Canada trade deal that was almost toppled by a regional government in Belgium, a group of academics has come out to defend the European decision-making process in trade policy.
CETA crawls back to life, negotiates German court and Parliament committee
The European Union's trade deal with Canada (CETA) has negotiated a few more obstacles after it overcame an appeal made in Germany and the European Parliament's environment committee. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Parliament committee gives CETA thumbs down
The European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee recommended on Thursday (8 December) to reject the EU-Canada trade agreement, suggesting that final adoption of the deal in the Assembly's plenary won't be plain sailing.
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.
Belgian beer culture added to UNESCO’s heritage list
Beer culture in Belgium was inscribed yesterday (30 November) on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Brief: MEPs quash CETA challenge but what about Wallonia?
MEPs today quashed a proposed resolution to refer CETA, the EU-Canada trade deal, to the European Court of Justice by a significant majority.
Oettinger finally apologises for ‘slitty eyes’ speech
Germany’s Commissioner Günther Oettinger today (3 November) finally apologised, a week after calling the Chinese “slitty eyes”, and mocking women and gay marriage, in a secretly-filmed after dinner speech.
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.
The Brief: Commission in credibility crisis over Oettinger and Barroso
The European Commission is facing a credibility crisis. If it is not addressed soon, it risks confirming the worst prejudices held about EU officialdom - that it is arrogant, elitist and out of touch.
Commission won’t apologise for Oettinger’s ‘racist and homophobic’ speech
The European Commission today (31 October) repeatedly refused to apologise for or investigate racist and homophobic remarks made by Germany’s EU commissioner in a secretly-filmed after-dinner speech.
CETA: Controversy over EU pressure on Wallonia
Criticised by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during the signature of CETA, the president of Walloon party CDH, Benoît Lutgen, has repeated that there had been insinuations about negative consequences for the region if it continued to veto the trade treaty with Canada.
The EU must learn from CETA shambles
After Wallonia finally agreed to not block CETA, Greenpeace’s Jorgo Riss argues that to start rebuilding its credibility, the EU must stop CETA because the deal cements the supremacy of trade above social, health and environmental concerns.
Benoît Hamon pledges to ‘democratise and repoliticise’ Europe
The EU took centre stage in the French Socialist Party’s presidential debate on Tuesday (25 October), as candidate Benoît Hamon denounced the "toxic arrangement between the right and the social-democrats" in Strasbourg. EURACTIV France reports.
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.
MEPs call on Tusk to end EU summits ‘paralysis’
During a debate held today (26 October) in the European Parliament, MEPs criticised the European Council for its inability to decide on issues such as CETA and EU-Russia relations, with calls for Council President Donald Tusk to “end paralysis in the Council”.
The Brief: Regulate toasters for an ambitious circular economy
The European Commission will call into question the much-vaunted ambition of its Circular Economy Package, if it doesn't regulate products such as toasters and hairdryers.
Wallonia strikes out at Canada
There are historic reasons behind the Walloon rejection of CETA, and a price to pay for post-Napoleonic Britain having engineered Belgium as a nation in gridlock, writes George Friedman.
Tusk and Trudeau still hope to sign CETA trade deal after Belgian ‘Non’
Belgium declared yesterday (24 October) that it could not formally back a free trade deal between the European Union and Canada because of an internal dispute, but the two sides still appeared to be holding out hopes of a summit to sign off on the deal.
Belgium cannot sign CETA, PM Michel admits
Belgium is not able to sign off on a landmark EU-Canada free trade deal after Wallonia and other regional administrations refused to give the federal government the go-ahead, PrimeMinister Charles Michel said today (24 October).
Wallonia rejects EU ‘ultimatum’ over CETA
Belgium's Wallonia region yesterday (23 October) dealt a fresh blow to a proposed EU-Canada trade deal, rejecting a 24-hour ultimatum from the bloc to end its objection to the agreement.
Wallonia’s red card for CETA is a chance for the EU to be a beacon to the world
We are at a crossroads for international trade policy. The failure of TTIP and CETA would pave the way for a fairer and more democratic world, argues Paul de Clerck.
Belgian professor: What’s wrong if CETA is signed in December?
Belgian Professor Jean-Michel de Waele slammed the European Commission for twisting the arm of Wallonia over CETA, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada.
Montaigne Institute warns the EU against abandoning TTIP
The liberal French think tank has told the EU it stands to lose more than just trade access if it fails to conclude TTIP, saying Europe's place in the new geopolitical order is at stake. EURACTIV France reports.
Does CETA’s saga spell the beginning of the end of EU trade policy?
The CETA saga reveals that a commercial policy steered from the 28 capitals is not a workable solution to tackle the global economic challenges of the 21st century, write Guillaume Van der Loo and Jacques Pelkmans.