EU incapable of trade deal with Canada: Canadian trade minister

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: Reuters

The European Union is unable to conclude a free trade agreement with Canada, the Canadian trade minister told reporters after talks on Friday with the Belgian region of Wallonia, the last remaining impediment to a deal.

"It seems evident for me and for Canada that the European Union is not now capable of having an international accord even with a country that has values as European as Canada," a visibly moved Chrystia Freeland told reporters outside of the seat of the Walloon government.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-canada-trade-freeland-idUSKCN12L1TO?il=0

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Canada-EU trade talks collapse in Wallonia as Freeland walks out

Last-ditch efforts to salvage Canada's trade deal with the European Union appear to have collapsed Friday, as International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland walked out of talks with the regional government of Wallonia. The region has been blocking the deal that was supposed to be signed next week.

Freeland said that the failure to come to a consensus and proceed with signing the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) at the planned Canada-EU Summit next Thursday was a "missed opportunity."

Earlier, Paul Magnette, the president of the Belgian region of Wallonia, briefed his regional parliament, saying that although talks were productive, difficulties remain and he's not prepared to reverse the decision to reject CETA.

"We made new significant progress, especially on the agriculture issues, but difficulties remain, specifically on the symbolic issue of arbitration, which is politically extremely important," he said in French.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-eu-ceta-brussels-friday-1.3815332

[geek tragedy]

1. Brexit should go swimmably nt

[MowCowWhoHow III]

2. At this rate the EU will be thirsty af