The suspense was breathtaking at the opening of the European summit on Thursday afternoon, 20 October, about the outcome of the EU’s planned signing of a free-trade deal (CETA) with Canada, which was still being blocked by the Walloon Region of Belgium.
"The negotiations are still going on, as we speak. I hope that Belgium will once again prove that it is a true champion in compromise-making; and that on Friday we will have an agreement that will pave the way for signing CETA", said President of the European Council Donald Tusk.
"But the question goes beyond CETA. If we are not able to convince people that trade agreements are in their interest, if we are not able to convince them that our representatives negotiate FTAs to protect people's interests, then we will have no chance to build public support for free trade. Which means, I am afraid, that CETA could be our last free trade agreement", Tusk added.
The moment of truth is approaching, said Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel as he arrived at the summit, saying that the latest European Commission proposals had been sent to the Walloon government. He regretted that the country was experiencing a difficult moment and that Wallonia is the last place in Europe to be opposing what is on the table.
The various Belgian and European politicians have worked hard in recent hours and days, said Michel, and were close to the moment of truth. At some point, one has to say yes or no, he explained.
Michel said he would respect cooperation agreements with federal bodies if Wallonia rejects signature of CETA, but he said that Belgium’s position within the EU would not be strengthened by this episode.
The minister-president of the Walloon Region, Paul Magnette, was on Wednesday still refusing to give the Belgian federal government full powers to endorse the EU’s signature of CETA, and was examining the Commission’s latest proposals on Thursday.
On Thursday morning, the Commission said it had had a "constructive" meeting with Magnette and Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders on Wednesday.
Several sources say Canada’s Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland and former trade minister, Pierre Pettigrew from Quebec, were busy behind the scenes trying to convince the Walloon Region government to give the go-ahead to the signing of CETA, which they hoped would happen at an EU-Canada summit in Brussels on 27 October, to be attended by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)