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US cheesemakers raise stink over geographic labeling restriction proposals
26-Aug-2014 IBTimes
Gouda, muenster and cheddar cheese are staples at delis and restaurants from New York to Vancouver. But if the final version of a cross-Atlantic trade agreement released earlier this month is approved, Canada will include them on a list of 173 food and beverage products barred from being sold under their common names unless they are produced in Canada or in the European regions for which they are named or commonly associated.
Leaked CETA treaty: One thing to applaud
20-Aug-2014 The Tyee
Massive, controversial EU-Canada deal manages to do copyright right, says Michael Geist
CETA: What the leaked version reveals
17-Aug-2014 Le Monde
The most controversial provisions include the investor state dispute resolution mechanism (ISDS), an arbitral tribunal meant to settle disputes between governments and corporations.
Leaked EU trade pact suggests Canada caved on drug patents
14-Aug-2014 Canadian Press
A leaked copy of the full text of the Canada-EU free trade agreement was posted online late Wednesday and appeared to confirm the fears of the deal’s critics on both sides of the Atlantic.
Despite the pronouncements, Canada-EU trade deal not set in stone
11-Aug-2014 Globe & Mail
To trade experts, the moving goal line is all part of the game of these complex negotiations. Average Canadians, however, might be forgiven for not knowing the score. Some may even have mistakenly thought the game was already over.
CETA will likely be signed, but it will also implode
8-Aug-2014 rabble.ca
At this point, the text has reportedly been sent to Canadian provincial governments and the European Union member states for initial feedback to be submitted over the next few weeks, reports Brent Patterson.
EU finalises free trade agreement with Canada
6-Aug-2014 EurActiv
Canada and the European Union have finalised the text of a proposed free trade agreement after months of wrangling, in a deal which is expected to serve as a blueprint for a similar agreement with the United States.
Germany seeks to limit investor protection to save trade deal
5-Aug-2014 FT
The German government expects the Canadian deal will be agreed at an EU-Canada summit in late September but believes that some changes could be ultimately needed in the final wording.
Geist: How a 20-year-old patent application could upend Canada’s biggest trade deal
4-Aug-2014 The Star
From a Canadian perspective, the Eli Lilly case has provided a powerful reminder that the risks associated with ISDS may outweigh the benefits with legal cases that can take decades to resolve.
Canada to clinch trade deal with EU in September
1-Aug-2014 CBC
Canada and the European Union will release final details of their mammoth trade deal on Sept. 25 in Ottawa, ending a marathon 10 months of bargaining since Prime Minister Stephen Harper flew off to Brussels to sign the initial agreement in principle, according to CBC News.
Germany insists it hasn’t scuttled CETA: report
29-Jul-2014 iPolitics
The German ministry of the economy has clarified its position on the Canada-EU trade agreement (CETA), saying it will “meticulously” examine the agreement as soon as it’s on the table, Agence France Presse reported Monday.
Germany to reject EU-Canada trade deal - Sueddeutsche newspaper
26-Jul-2014 Reuters
Germany is to reject a multi-billion free trade deal between the European Union and Canada which is widely seen as a template for a bigger agreement with the United States, a leading German paper reported on Saturday.
CETA ‘should be initialed by September 25′: EU Trade Commissioner
23-Jul-2014 iPolitics
The end of the Canada-EU trade agreement (CETA) technical negotiations are “in sight” and the deal should be initialed in time for a late September bilateral summit in Ottawa, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said Tuesday.
How German opposition could sink a major Canadian trade pact
20-Jun-2014 The Tyee
After many delays, the CETA text could be finalized by negotiators within weeks. But in Europe, a messy fight over its ratification is just beginning, reports Canadian Centre for Policy Alternative’s trade policy analyst Scott Sinclair.
Bill C-18 – CETA combination would entrench corporate control of food system, says NFU
18-Jun-2014 Daily Exchange
Under CETA, Canada has agreed to empower the courts to apply provisional and precautionary measures that include seizure of assets, destruction of equipment, and freezing of bank accounts against someone suspected of intellectual property rights infringement — that is, before any trial takes place. Plant Breeders’ Rights, which would be bolstered through Bill C-18, the Agricultural Growth Act, are included among the intellectual property rights covered by these measures.
Deal or no deal? EU-Canada trade deal falters at final hurdle
3-Jun-2014 Reuters
Canada and the European Union are struggling to finalize a multibillion-dollar trade pact six months after political leaders said it was sealed, an embarrassment for Brussels as it seeks a far bigger deal with the United States.
Tony Clement claims cabinet secrecy over EU trade deal compensation
29-May-2014 CBC
Canada’s Treasury Board President Tony Clement has invoked cabinet secrecy rules to avoid answering questions on hundreds of millions in federal funding earmarked to help Newfoundland and Labrador adjust to the Canada-European Union free trade deal.
Canada-EU trade deal continues to be hampered by lengthy logistics
26-May-2014
Cast your mind ahead five years. Most people probably can’t say with certainty what their lives will be like in 2019. In a worst-case scenario, it could take that long to put the much-hyped Canada-European Union free trade deal into place.
Canada EU free trade deal still a long way off due to technicalities
10-May-2014 Canadian Press
The EU’s De Gucht said "technical problems’’ in 3-4 areas prevented him and Fast from sealing the deal while a senior Canadian official says even if a text is released, the deal is still a long way off because both sides would still need to consult with member states, provinces and lawyers.
‘Thorny’ CETA issues to be tackled in coming weeks: EU trade chief
9-May-2014 Embassy
Besides dealing with final technical issues, the EU Commission is also fighting with member states over who has the competence over the deal.