Wallonia, EU Negotiation Teams Discuss New CETA Texts

The negotiation teams of Wallonia and the EU are discussing the new texts requested by the Belgian region regarding the trade agreement with Canada.

Earlier, regional Walloon authorities presented a list of conditions in order to accept the agreement.

A safety clause on earlier withdrawal from the agreement, the facilitation of the access of small firms to international arbitration which has to become a public institution for the settling of trade disputes etc. are among the demands submitted.

No one is going to change the fact that the EU is still a union of states and not of institutions, commented the President of the European council Donald Tusk.

The apprehensions concerning private arbitration are being discussed and explained at the moment. I believe that, after today's talks, the climate and situation regarding CETA, and perhaps future trade agreements, will change for the better, added Tusk.

The EU-Canada summit meeting scheduled for October 27 has not been cancelled. It is not clear yet, however, whether Justin Trudeau will sign the free-trade agreement with the EU.