Brussels, 06/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European side has spoken of a more conciliatory attitude from Canada. Brussels and Ottawa are in close contact to settle the issues still on the negotiating table.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in St Petersburg, and also in Brussels, Community sources spoke this week of the positions between the EU and Canada moving closer together in their negotiations for a comprehensive and economic trade agreement (CETA). The negotiations were launched in 2007 and have been deadlocked since the end of 2012.
It is very clear that the positions are becoming closer on the most thorny issues linked to the agricultural chapter, and to Canadian access to the EU's beef and pork market and EU access to the Canadian dairy products market. Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso spoke about the issue on the sidelines of the G20 on Friday 6 September.
The previous day, in the European Parliament's international trade committee, the rapporteur on the EU-Canada negotiations, Peter Stastny (EPP, Czech Republic), said he was “more optimistic than a few months ago” with regard to an imminent resolution of the negotiations. He commented on a “more conciliatory” attitude from Harper's office. “It could happen at any time”, he added, saying that the Canadian side is reducing the differences to be overcome on the main issues in dispute - including access to the agricultural market, patents linked to medicines and access to public procurement.
On the Canadian side, a source close to the issue told national press that a small handful of crucial issues remains on the negotiating table. (EH/transl.fl)