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CETA: Joint review of T&SD chapters
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström sent a letter to Canadian Trade Minister François-Philippe Champagne, asking to review the enforceability of CETA’s trade and sustainable development chapters. This letter comes in response to promises made in October 2016 when the Walloon regional parliament threatened to derail approval of the agreement over its TSD chapters. Wallonia agreed to pass the agreement on the condition that the EU and Canada would carry out an early review of the TSD provisions. The review will specifically examine whether provisions on environmental rules and labour standards are enforceable under the deal. During a Civil Society Dialogue meeting earlier this month, Commissioner Malmström reassured stakeholders that “there is nothing in CETA which harms the environment.” Once Canada positively responds to Commissioner Malmström’s request, negotiators will begin an exchange of views on the debate of these issues currently going on among the institutions and civil society.