As Britain's longest-serving MEP, I can tell you that the critics are wrong about CETA – we need this trade deal with Canada
As Trump threatens to put America first to the detriment of everybody else, it is ever more important that we Europeans seek and solidify alliances with like minded partners, like Trudeau’s Canada
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be joining us in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week. I cannot tell you exactly what will be in his speech, but it is clear that the timing of his visit is no coincidence.
Earlier in the week, the Canadian leader met with President Donald Trump for awkward talks on the US-Canada economic relationship. Just before his arrival on these shores, MEPs will be voting on the EU-Canada trade deal, known as Ceta. The contrast between the two relationships could not be starker.
As Trump threatens to put America first to the detriment of everybody else, it is ever more important that we Europeans seek and solidify alliances with like minded partners, like Trudeau’s Canada. We all know what happened last time the world turned inwards towards protectionism.
There are of course serious problems that arise from unrestricted globalisation. The disgruntlement and downright anger in formerly proud industrial regions were important factors behind both Trump’s election and the Brexit result.
The key question now is how to reform global trade to make it work for the many and not the few.
Trade critics, whether they come from the right or the far left have only one response: rip up Nafta. Stop TTIP. Chuck Ceta into the bin. Ask them, however, what exactly they would like to see instead and the answer is blank.
Instead, over the past eight years we MEPs have actually been working to make Ceta better, with some significant results.
First negotiated between the Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government and an EU as yet unmoved by the important debates that emerged during the TTIP talks, Ceta was simply not up to scratch.
On the investor-state dispute settlement provisions, about which so much has already been written, it was centre-left MEPs who forced the EU and Canada to go back to the drawing board. The old toxic investor-state dispute settlement is no more, and has instead been replaced by a public, transparent court staffed by well-qualified judges. No wonder that the eight EU countries who have signed dodgy old style bilateral investment treaties with Canada are the treaty’s most fervent supporters.
Under the new system, the government’s right to regulate in the public interest is enshrined in the treaty. To give one example, there is no way that President Trump could go behind the backs of Scottish courts who reject his wind farm objections. The case would simply be thrown out because they were erected in an attempt to improve the environment for Scottish citizens.
In addition, our persistence on issues like the NHS, labour rights, the environment and food standards has forced the EU and Canada to issue what is called a “joint interpretative instrument” alongside the text of the treaty itself. This legal binding statement provides a cast iron guarantee that the values that are important to EU citizens are safeguarded. The current Canadian government was only too happy to provide such assurances, given that in the majority of cases our values align.
Finally, we should also not lose sight of the fact that Ceta is a comprehensive deal that promises fantastic economic opportunities for British companies and their workers. Around 99 per cent of tariffs will drop to zero, EU companies can (for the first time) bid for Canadian government contracts at the regional level and it tackles many issues around red tape and paperwork that have proved thorny for our exporters.
Most credible economic studies show modest increases in GDP, in keeping with Canada’s relative size compared with the EU. However, in a dynamic world where other countries are making trade deals with each other all around us, not concluding Ceta would leave us trailing behind.
The Ceta deal on the table is the most progressive trade agreement ever negotiated, with a trustworthy partner with whom we share so much. Faced with Trump’s neo-protectionism on one side and the unfettered free market on the other, with Ceta the EU is proving that it is open for business without compromising on our way of life.
David Martin is Labour MEP for Scotland
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments