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Verbatim report of proceedings
Wednesday, 15 February 2017 - Strasbourg Revised edition

EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement - Conclusion of the EU-Canada CETA - EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (debate)
MPphoto
 

  David Campbell Bannerman (ECR). – Madam President, today marks a milestone, when the European Parliament votes on, and I earnestly hope approves, the most ambitious, modern and largest trade agreement with a developed nation that the EU has ever concluded. As ECR Group shadow rapporteur on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), I have worked for years on this, as have others like my colleague, Charles Tannock, on the parallel Strategic Partnership Agreement.

The CETA trade deal will eliminate 99% of non-agricultural tariffs, saving EU exporters almost EUR 500 million a year immediately, and will deliver near-complete market access both ways. This includes the best-ever services deal and it will also give European companies access to Canadian procurement markets for the first time. In addition, it contains mutual recognition of professional qualifications for midwives, architects, lawyers and doctors, but there is no free movement and no access fees payable either way. It would make a very good template for Britain.

Once fully implemented, the agreement is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods and services between the EU Member States and Canada by 23% or GBP 19 billion. It has, however, taken too long (seven years) to get to this point. Two years were wasted on EU human rights demands, and another two years on the question of investor disputes, with the unacceptable Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system being replaced by the better Investment Court system. The EU must reflect on the time it takes to get agreements with any major trading partner negotiated if they are going to be taken seriously in future. If CETA fails, any credibility the EU has in negotiation will be lost, including with Britain, so this is a vital vote from all our perspectives.

(The speaker agreed to take a blue-card question under Rule 162(8))

 
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