- Title: Wallonia premier refuses any further ultimatum over EU-Canada deal
- Date: 25th October 2016
- Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 25, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF ANNEXE TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SECURITY OFFICER MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF THE FLEMISH GOVERNMENT, GEERT BOURGEOIS, ARRIVING BY CAR (SOUNDBITE) (French) MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF THE WALLOON GOVERNMENT, PAUL MAGNETTE, SAYING: "I want to be clear on the fact that we have already been given three ultimatums and we will not accept a fourth one, whoever it comes from. If there were a fourth one, we would stop negotiations. We can't be forced to give in through pressure and we can't be asked to disregard the parliamentarian control procedures." VARIOUS OF MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF THE WALLOON GOVERNMENT, PAUL MAGNETTE, ENTERING COURTYARD BELGIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, DIDIER REYNDERS, SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Dutch) BELGIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, DIDIER REYNDERS, SAYING: "I'm working day and nights as well as my assistants. We had a good contact this morning and now we are trying to reach a good solution with all the ministers around the table. As always I'm hopeful for a final solution." VARIOUS OF REYNDERS WALKING IN COURTYARD MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH COMMUNITY, RUDY DEMOTTE, SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH COMMUNITY, RUDY DEMOTTE, SAYING: "We have to get a good answer to some questions we have asked this morning during a gathering with our experts and we have made a lot of proposals, we will see how the reactions are from the (European) Commission, from the (European) Council and from other members of the Belgian entities." VARIOUS OF DEMOTTE WALKING IN COURTYARD POLICE SECURING ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS GUARDING GATES TO ANNEXE TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY EXTERIOR OF ANNEXE TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY BELGIAN FLAG SEEN THROUGH GATES
- Embargoed: 9th November 2016 15:34
- Keywords: Wallonia CETA trade EU deal Canada Reynders Magnette
- Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA00155I8J0N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Belgian regional government's heads met Foreign Affairs Minister Didier Reynders on Tuesday (October 25) to negotiate further on a planned EU-Canada trade deal, but Walloon Premier Paul Magnette warned he would not accept any further ultimatums.
All 28 EU governments support the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) but Belgium cannot give assent without backing from five sub-federal administrations. French-speaking Wallonia has steadfastly opposed it.
The EU had given Belgium until late on Monday to overcome that opposition or the EU-Canada summit on Thursday to sign the pact with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be cancelled, but Wallonia maintained its opposition to the signature of the deal.
"I want to be clear on the fact that we have already been given three ultimatums and we will not accept a fourth one, whoever it comes from. If there was a fourth one, we would stop negotiations. We can't be forced to give in through pressure and we can't be asked to disregard the parliamentarian control procedures," Magnette said as he arrived for a meeting between regional governments and Reynders in Brussels.
The foreign affairs minister, who is part of the federal government backing the deal, said he was still optimistic that a solution could be found.
Other Socialist Party-led authorities, including those of the bilingual capital Brussels, have thrown their weight behind the Walloons, while Dutch- and German-speakers back Prime Minister Charles Michel's centre-right coalition.
Minister-President of the French Community Rudy Demotte said he had made proposals in the morning and was waiting for answers.
"We have to get a good answer to some questions we have asked this morning during a gathering with our experts and we have made a lot of proposals, we will see how the reactions are from the (European) Commission, from the (European) Council and from other members of the Belgian entities," he told reporters.
Magnette's main objection is to an investor protection system that would allow foreign companies to sue host states they deem are harming their investments. Critics argue it enables multinationals to dictate public policy.
The European Commission says CETA has overhauled this system, with guarantees on the right of governments to regulate and judges appointed by EU and Canada rather than parties to a dispute. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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