Talks between the EU and Canada on implementation measures for the EU-Canada free trade deal (CETA) are still in deadlock over management of the import quota Canada is granting to cheese from the EU, and this is preventing the agreement from regionally coming into force.
On 29 June, the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker, said they were working to get CETA into shape so it can provisionally come on stream and there were a few problems they would be solving over the next few days.
On 28 June, the Canadian prime minister’s office said that the Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau, has strongly recommended to Juncker that CETA had to provisionally come into force as soon as possible so that its impact can brought to bear.
A European Commission source told this newsletter on Friday 30 June that Canada was adopting a number of regulations and other CETA implementation measures and the agreement will be implemented once Canada has completed the remaining formalities.
The source added that the Commission is in constant contact with Canada on the various aspects of the application measures and hoped to be able to rapidly resolve the sticking points, as both parties have pledged to ensure effective provisional application of the free-trade deal.
The Commission remains concerned about the way Canada is planning to grant purchasers measures relating to the import quota for cheese from the EU. Under CETA, this will gradually rise to 16,000 tonnes over a six-year period.
Ottawa is considering granting a large portion of the quota to its dairy producers and food processors, which leads the Commission to fear that the quotas will not be used. People at the Commission say that not granting quotas to cheese shops, supermarkets and catering outlets could hijack both the spirit and the letter of CETA. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)