18/02/2020 (Agence Europe) – The lower house ('Tweede kamer') of the Dutch Parliament approved the CETA, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada (see EUROPE 11826/14, 11726/1), by a very narrow majority on Tuesday 18 February. With 72 votes in favour and 69 votes against, it took government guarantees on agricultural issues for a small pivotal party, ChristenUnie, to support the agreement. All is far from settled, however, as the text is expected to be presented in a few weeks' time in the Senate ('Eerste kamer'), where the coalition government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte does not have a majority (only 32 seats out of 75). Unless the case of the French Senate sets a precedent: the subject has been stuck in senatorial limbo since its adoption by the National Assembly in July 2019. (HD)