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Belgium Walloons block key EU Ceta trade deal with Canada | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Belgium cannot sign a key EU trade deal with Canada, Prime Minister Charles Michel says, because of objections from one of its regions, Wallonia. | |
His statement appeared to dash hopes the Ceta deal could be signed by EU leaders and Canada on Thursday. | |
"We are not in a position to sign Ceta," Mr Michel said after talks with regional leaders broke down. | |
It is the EU's most ambitious free trade deal to date but Belgium needs the regions' approval to sign it. | |
Mr Michel said he had told European Council President Donald Tusk that Belgium could not sign Ceta. | |
The European Commission had set Belgium a Monday deadline to make its decision on the deal agreed with Canada in 2014, after five years of negotiations. | |
Demonstrations | |
Wallonia, a staunchly socialist region of 3.6m people, wants stronger safeguards on labour, environmental and consumer standards. | |
Its fears echo those of anti-globalisation activists, who say Ceta and deals like it give too much power to multinationals - power even to intimidate governments. | |
There have also been big demonstrations in several EU countries against Ceta and the TTIP trade talks between the EU and the US. | |
On Sunday the European Commission presented a new clarification to Wallonia on the mechanism for settling disputes with investors. | |
The rules for trade arbitration are one of the thorniest issues in the deal. | |
But Belgium's RTBF news reported (in French) that the latest EU document did not satisfy the Walloon politicians. | |
What is Ceta? | |
Canada and the EU would eliminate 98% of tariffs under Ceta, which was negotiated over five years between 2009 and 2014. | |
Supporters say this would increase trade between them by 20%, and would especially help small businesses. | |
Critics say the deal threatens product standards and protects big business, allowing corporations to sue governments. | |
European Parliament briefing on Ceta | |
Is Ceta a good model for Brexit? |