International

Now that the Canadian trade minister has stated, in the wake of the death of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), that negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada have also failed, it’s time in the SP’s view to pull the plug on the European trade policy. The European Commission turns out to be unable to conclude trade agreements which can command broad support. Time for fair trade, argue SP Euro-MP Anne-Marie Mineur and national MP Jasper van Dijk, the party’s two parliamentary spokespersons on trade-related issues.

Foto: SP

Demonstration in Brussels, 20th September 2016

The SP is delighted that Paul Magnette, Prime Minister of the Belgian French-speaking region of Wallonia, has continued to bring up the legitimate concerns raised by the Walloon Parliament against the CETA. “Magnette is absolutely correct in his criticisms of the arbitration system in CETA, and the threats to the agricultural sector we have also identified,” says Mineur. “The manner in which this agreement has been developed, behind closed doors and with no chance for society to express its opinion, little respect for our democracy and none whatsoever for our labour laws, our food safety or our environment, make this a treaty that is beyond repair.”

“The age of neoliberal trade treaties is over,” adds Van Dijk. “What we advocate is a new generation of treaties which put social values first.”