CETA Failure Reflects Public Rejection of Sweeping Trade Dea

[Oscar]

CETA Failure Reflects Public Rejection of Sweeping Trade Deals

[ http://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2016/10/22/CE ... ign=221016 ]

Don’t blame EU unreasonableness for saying no to bad agreement with Canada.

By Michael Geist , | TheTyee.ca October 22, 2016

Michael Geist holds the Canada Research Chair in internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. He can reached at mgeist@uottawa.ca or online at michaelgeist.ca.

EXCERPT:

The Stop CETA protests across Europe tended to focus on broader opposition to trade agreements that extend far beyond reduced tariffs. Indeed, few oppose reduced tariffs.

The concerns instead typically point to the wide range of regulatory measures and dispute settlement mechanisms that may prioritize corporate concerns over local rules. The fear of these aspects of the agreement are what lies at the heart of opposition to CETA, as well as to the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the U.S. and the European Union. [ http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2016/02/02 ... -Sign-TPP/ ]

The insistence that such provisions remain in the agreement is what is truly puzzling. Given that Europe and Canada both offer reliable, respected court systems, there is little reason to insist on investor-state dispute settlement rules at all.

Further, expanded trade should not require Canada to face increased health care costs (as would result from CETA’s extension of patent protections) or Europe to confront changes to various food and safety regulations.

The CETA setback in Europe has strong echoes to the 2012 defeat of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Trade negotiators and governments similarly downplayed mounting protests and concerns associated with the agreement, but the European Parliament ultimately rejected it in a landslide. [ http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2012/07/10 ... -Property/ ]

Killing ACTA — much like the potential death knell for CETA — isn’t about Europe’s ability to conclude deals or how nice Canada is. It is about the expansive approach to traditional trade agreements that it is increasingly out-of-step with local regulation, the balance between government and corporate rights and public opinion. [Tyee]

[Oscar]

Canada-EU trade deal not dead yet, says Belgium's ambassador

[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ceta-ra ... -1.3816902 ]

'Something has to be done because ... this is a good treaty,' says ambassador

By Peter Zimonjic, CBC News Posted: Oct 21, 2016 8:57 PM ET| Last Updated: Oct 21, 2016 8:57 PM ET

Belgium's ambassador to Canada says there is still life in the free trade deal the Liberal government is trying to finalize with the European Union and there may yet be ways to save it.

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The Council of Canadians issued a statement saying the breakdown was pushback for "corporate-led globalization" initiatives.

"This major setback for CETA is not just because of Wallonia alone. There is deep, widespread opposition to CETA and many millions of people agree with Wallonia's stance. Thousands across Europe and Canada spoke up and took action to make this happen," says Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the Council of Canadians

'It's wonderful'

Ken Neumann, the United Steelworkers union's director for Canada, welcomed the collapse of talks, saying the deal was bad for Canada and bad for Canadian workers.

"I am pleased the Europeans have stood up to it," said Neumann. "We think it is a flawed agreement. Not that we are opposed to trade, everyone understands trade is important, but any time you sign a trade deal that is not going to benefit workers it should not be a surprise that we'd be opposed to it."

Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, the union representing more than 300,000 workers in the auto sector and communications, energy and paperworks industries, said he was also pleased the deal appeared to be falling apart.

"It's wonderful," said Dias. "It's about time countries are starting to say that trade deals shouldn't only be about corporate rights, they should also be about workers. Allowing international corporations to sue governments is a trend that has to be reversed."

MORE:

[ http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ceta-ra ... -1.3816902 ]