Canada-EU trade deal grinds on . . . .

[Oscar]

QUOTE: "The coming year will also see the Harper government overhaul its trade priorities, releasing a new global commerce strategy in early 2013."

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U.S. ambitions put pressure on Canada-EU trade deal

http://www.globalnews.ca/politics/6442781022/story.html

Rebecca Lindell, Global News : Wednesday, January 02, 2013 5:00 PM

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OTTAWA – The new year brings new pressure for the Harper government to finalize a free trade agreement with the European Union as the economic powerhouse eyes a similar deal with the United States.

Canadian and European officials have been trying to hammer out a comprehensive economic trade agreement (CETA) since 2009 – talks Ottawa hoped would be concluded by 2012.

Instead they may be in a race against time in 2013 as they try and ink a deal before the European Union gets distracted by possible free trade negotiations with the United States.

The Europeans and their American counterparts have been working on guidelines for free trade talks and negotiations could start at some point in 2013.

“When that happens that will consume the EU in terms of their focus,” said John Weekes, a senior business advisor at Bennett Jones and former chief negotiator for the North American Free Trade Agreement. “If they haven’t been able by that time to complete a deal with Canada, I think they would be inclined to put it to the side.”

January will be crunch time for negotiators as they battle over contentious issues like intellectual property, procurement and agricultural products.

Looming negotiations with other countries could help expedite the process, according to Perrin Beatty, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Beatty said finalizing an ambitious deal with Canada will help the Europeans show the Americans what they can achieve.

“They have an interest in doing it,” he said. “We have an interest in doing it as well. We have a number of other irons in the fire.”

Canada is currently negotiating a trade agreement with India and an economic partnership with Japan. It also joined the Trans-Pacific Partnership last year and will be participating in the first full round of negotiations.

International Trade Minister Ed Fast isn’t setting a new target for when a deal with the EU will be inked.

“The guide for finalizing the agreement will be the quality of its content, not any calendar date and our government will only sign an agreement that is in the best interests of Canadians and we continue to pursue that objective,” said Fast’s press secretary Rudy Husny in a statement.

The major sticking point on the Canadian side is believed to be greater access for beef and pork exports. Other sensitive issues include the EU’s desire for expanded patent protection on prescription drugs and its demand for the chance to bid on municipal and provincial procurement contracts.

“We would like to have better access to the EU market for Canadian agri-food products,” Beatty said. “I think Canada has been serious in terms of putting substantial items on the table and this should result in the Europeans being willing to respond.”

Jean-Michel Laurin of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Association said it is a matter of when in 2013, not if, the deal will be signed.

“They could probably finish negotiations today if they wanted but it probably would be a less ambitious goal than what we are working towards,” he said.

Stuart Trew, a trade activist with the Council of Canadians, also believes a deal will come this year. But he isn’t convinced it will be the right one if power over procurement, intellectual property or drug patents is sacrificed on the altar of agriculture.

“What we are hearing is that everything is based on whether we can get a few more cows and pigs into the European market and we think that’s just ridiculous,” he said.

Ultimately, speed will come down to political will. Negotiators are currently trying to close the gaps between the two countries, but Fast and his political counterparts will likely be the ones to do the final deal-making.

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