Parliamentary question - P-001292/2023(ASW)Parliamentary question
P-001292/2023(ASW)
European Parliament

Answer given by Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis on behalf of the European Commission

30.5.2023

Written question

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)[1] is a living agreement with comprehensive sustainability provisions.

Since its provisional entry into force in 2017, both sides are implementing the agreement insofar as it is provisionally in force, including the sustainability commitments and the review mechanisms as set out in the Joint Interpretative Instrument[2].

The implementation of the sustainability commitments has allowed the parties to cooperate closely. Reports of the Trade and Sustainable Committee are publicly available[3].

The sustainability commitments are binding and enforceable. CETA provides for a dedicated dispute mechanism. Yet, neither of the parties, nor any other civil society actors have identified shortcomings in the implementation of, or compliance with the trade and sustainability development (TSD) commitments under the TSD chapter.

Canada’s request to add trade remedies to the commitments would require re-opening of at least parts of CETA while awaiting ratification by several Member States.

The Commission has presented to Canada its TSD Review Communication[4]. Since, most of the identified action points can be immediately deployed without changing the text of the Agreement, the Commission has proposed to focus on those.

Last updated: 31 May 2023
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