- Title: Residents of Wallonia proud not to yield to CETA ultimatum
- Date: 24th October 2016
- Summary: NAMUR, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) CITADEL / VIEW OVER CITY RIVER AND BUILDINGS SIGN FOR WALLOON PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS NEXT TO RIVER EU FLAG VARIOUS OF WALLOON, EU AND BELGIAN FLAGS OUTSIDE WALLOON PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (French) NAMUR RESIDENT AND ARTIST, ANNE FOURNIER, TALKING ABOUT THE CETA ULTIMATUM, SAYING: "It's completely undemocratic. There are no other words. It's a treaty that has been negotiated secretly for years now. And now when a government requests to speak about some points that seem impossible for them to agree to, they face ultimatums, threats, the Walloons.... all that. It is just not democratic. We have the impression, the feeling that there's a neo-liberal steamroller that wants nobody to get in its way." EXTERIOR OF WALLOON PARLIAMENT (SOUNDBITE) (French) NAMUR RESIDENT AND RETIREE, MICHEL BROUYAUX, SAYING: "To me it's perfectly clear. It is a reason to be proud. Wallonia shows another path than the one usually taken, especially by the European Commission. Wallonia says the powers need to be balanced. Not all power should be in trade. To me this is a reason to be proud. We are proud to be Walloon. It's very clear." VARIOUS OF RIVER AND BUILDINGS EXTERIOR OF WALLOON PARLIAMENT WALLOON FLAG
- Embargoed: 8th November 2016 11:46
- Keywords: CETA Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement Wallonia Belgium European Union Canada EU trade
- Location: NAMUR & BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- City: NAMUR & BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
- Country: Belgium
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA00155D64AV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Residents of Wallonia said on Monday (October 24) they were proud of their French-speaking southern region of Belgium for rejecting an ultimatum on an EU-Canada trade deal.
All 28 EU governments support the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), including Belgium, but the latter can only sign up to it if it has the consent of five sub-federal authorities and Wallonia has steadfastly resisted.
The European Union had given Belgium until late on Monday to overcome the opposition or an EU-Canada summit on Thursday to sign the pact with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would be cancelled.
Speaking near the Walloon government in Namur, local artist Anne Fournier said the ultimatum was "undemocratic".
"There are no other words. It's a treaty that has been negotiated secretly for years now. And now when a government requests to speak about some points that seem impossible for them to agree to, they face ultimatums, threats, the Walloons.... all that. It is just not democratic. We have the impression, the feeling that there's a neo-liberal steamroller that wants nobody to get in its way."
CETA supporters say it would increase trade between the partners by 20 percent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros (11 billion pounds) a year and Canada's by C$12 billion ($9 billion).
Walloons have concerns about the threat of surging pork and beef imports from Canada and an independent court system to settle disputes between states and foreign investors, which critics say allows multinationals to dictate public policy.
Retired Namur local Michel Brouyaux said he was proud of Wallonia's stance.
"It is a reason to be proud. Wallonia shows another path than the one usually taken, especially by the European Commission. Wallonia says the powers need to be balanced. Not all power should be in trade. To me this is a reason to be proud. We are proud to be Walloon. It's very clear," he told Reuters.
Many EU leaders suspect the local government in Namur is using its devolved powers to play domestic politics.
European Commission Spokesman Margaritis Schinas said the EU executive respected Belgium's institutional process.
"At this stage, we need patience, the Commission remains ready to continue to help this process through all necessary means to come to a successful conclusion," he told a daily news briefing in Brussels, adding it was not the typical custom of the Commission to work with ultimatums or delays.
Later in the day, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said he had failed to secure the agreement of regional authorities at a meeting on Monday which he needed to unblock CETA.
Michel said he was still open to dialogue with Wallonia and that it was too early to say whether CETA was dead. EU and Canadian leaders have said they are keen to conclude the deal after years of negotiation. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None