Brussels, 29/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - The European trade union movement will call for rejection of the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada if the agreement is not amended, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) warned the day before the CETA was formally concluded at the EU-Canada summit in Ottawa on 26 September (see EUROPE 11164).
In a letter sent to Canada's ambassador to the EU last week, the ETUC highlights three major concerns. Firstly, the “very weak” reference in CETA to Canada eventually signing the UN International Labour Organisation conventions - including the right to organise and collective bargaining. Secondly, the inclusion of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) giving special legal arrangements to foreign investors; and thirdly, the inclusion in CETA of a list of areas not to be liberalised - instead of a list of areas which the negotiators agree to liberalise.
“While the Commission may initial the agreement, it will be up to member states and the European Parliament to ratify. We will be pressing them not to do so should our concerns not be met”, warned ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol.
BusinessEurope's strong support for CETA. “The CETA is the most ambitious and comprehensive agreement ever negotiated by the EU or Canada and the first one the EU concludes with a Western economy (…). Concluding ambitious and forward-looking trade agreements, such as CETA, shall ensure that the EU economy remains competitive and our companies continue to invest and create jobs in Europe. CETA is a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious agreement and we must not jeopardise this good result. Any step that could undermine Europe's credibility in the world is irresponsible”, said Markus J. Beyrer, Director General of BusinessEurope. (EH)