Wallonia's PM Rules Out Granting Belgian Gov't Power to Sign CETA Trade Deal

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Paul Magnette, the prime minister of the Belgian region of Wallonia, said Friday he would not give the federal government powers to sign the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the Euopean Union and Canada.

"I will not give full powers to the federal government and Belgium will not sign the CETA on October 18," Magnette said during a parliamentary debate, as quoted by the Belga news agency.

In order to sign CETA, the Belgian federal government must gain support of the regional authorities. On Friday, the Walloon parliament refused to grant powers to the country’s government to sign CETA. On Wednesday, the similar resolution was adopted by the parliament of the Wallonia-Brussels federation.

CETA aims to establish a free trade zone between Canada and the European Union. In 2013, Ottawa and Brussels reached an agreement on key elements of the deal. European critics of CETA claim it would undermine standards and regulations on environmental protection, health, safety and workers' rights. The agreement has been likened to the US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

The agreement is expected to be initialed by trade ministers of EU countries on October 18 and on October 27, it may be signed during the EU-Canada summit. However, without Belgium’s consent that is impossible.