CETA

The European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee has today recommended that the European Parliament decline to give consent to CETA.

Their opinion will now be passed to the lead committee, International Trade, who will vote in January ahead of a final plenary vote on the agreement at the beginning of February.

Commenting after the vote, Greens/EFA Member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee Jean Lambert said:

“The arguments presented in favour of CETA simply don’t add up. On working conditions, the deal is highly suspect. The Investor Court System would create additional rights for investors, without providing anything meaningful in response for workers, increasing the imbalance in rights and protections. It would also risk widening inequality. There are serious concerns that the deal could contribute towards the growth in income inequality, something that is already a huge problem in the EU. We are all for the creation of quality jobs, but the evidence that this deal would deliver on this is paper-thin.”

“We expect the International Trade committee to take these concerns into account when they make their final recommendations to Parliament.”

Greens/EFA trade spokesperson Yannick Jadot added:

"Today’s decision highlights again the many reasons why we have joined NGOs and civil society in opposing CETA. But it also highlights the problem with the way these decisions are made. Why is such a devastating opinion only being allowed to be heard this late in the day?

“The Parliament will have a final opportunity next year to show it is willing to put the common good first by refusing to give consent to CETA.”

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The Greens/EFA group proposals for how to improve the procedure can be found here: http://ttip2016.eu/files/content/docs/Full%20documents/161123%20Green-EFA%20Group%20Position%20Trade%20Procedures%20final.pdf