On Wednesday 25 October, the French government approved an action plan to monitor an exemplary implementation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA) with regard to climate and climate change requirements, and compliance with sanitary, social and environmental standards.
The action plan responds to the report of a commission of independent experts commissioned in July by French President Emmanuel Macron to analyse the expected impact of CETA on the environment, climate and health, and it will be supported by several French ministries (European and foreign affairs, ecological transition, economy and finance, agriculture and food).
The plan demonstrates the willingness of the French government, with the European Commission and the EU member states, in connection with Canada, to ensure an exemplary application of CETA, to accelerate its action against climate change and to bring the EU's trade policy to a higher level of ambition in environmental, health and social matters, explain the French authorities.
This plan is structured around three axes. First, it aims to ensure that CETA is subject to exemplary application modalities to ensure compliance with health and environmental standards and their protection against abuse of foreign investors. The impact of CETA will be rigorously and transparently monitored, in conjunction with civil society, and strengthened controls will ensure that EU standards are well adapted to imports from all origins.
It also aims to implement complementary actions to CETA to strengthen international cooperation on climate issues. France also promises to restart talks at national and European level to reduce the carbon footprint of fuels.
In addition, it aims to improve the consideration of health and sustainable development issues in all trade agreements, through the inclusion of chapters on sustainable development with enhanced ambition and binding provisions. "The objective is to ensure the full coherence of trade agreements with EU policies contributing to sustainable development and sanitary and phytosanitary protection", the French government states – which also demands that the international climate agreement in Paris should constitute an "essential clause" for the EU's trade agreements.
The French initiative has been welcomed by the Commission, which considers that it corresponds to its objectives "in many areas", promising to continue thinking about the EU's trade policy.
CETA entered into force provisionally on 21 September. To be fully implemented, it must still be ratified by all the parliaments of the countries of the EU member states.
France announced on Wednesday that it was considering ratification during a vote in the National Assembly in the second half of 2018. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)