A German Court and the European Parliament both issued positive statements paving the way for a ratification of CETA, which is EU-Canada free trade agreement important for shipping as well, as it features a positive maritime chapter and will lay the basis for future FTAs.
The Danish Shipowners’ Association notes that the CETA agreement moved closer to ratification last week. The positive developments are important as it was decided before summer, that the deal should be a mixed agreement meaning all national parliaments should give their go-ahead before it could be implemented.
The CETA agreement will benefit trade with Canada, but also includes several specific maritime initiatives such as opportunities to provide maritime services like dredging, moving empty containers, and the shipping of certain cargo within Canada.
The Commission has since proposed that the agreement could be provisionally applied, before all national parliaments have had their say as that process can take many years. This is a rather unique situation, but could prove beneficial to speed up an unnecessarily long process.
“The CETA agreement is one of the best agreements the EU has ever negotiated, not only for shipping but for the EU in general. Through CETA the European Commission should show that it will not cave in to populism and that free trade is important for sustained European growth,” says Director EU Affairs, Simon Bergulf from the Danish Shipowners’ Association.
One of the positive steps that came this week was the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee meeting which featured excellent and constructive debates. The Committee will vote on CETA on 5 December 2016, followed by a plenary vote in January 2017. If approved CETA will then be applied provisionally and before all EU national parliaments have had their official say.
Now the Council is expected to ratify the agreement at a Trade Ministers meeting on 18 October, which should then pave the way for the Commission to sign the provisional agreement on an EU-Canada Summit scheduled for the 27 October 2016.
Learn more about CETA Agreement here
Source: Danish Shipowners’ Association