On Thursday, the 28-nation bloc and Ottawa are expected to sign CETA at the joint EU-Canada Summit. However, on Monday, Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said the nation was "not in a position to sign CETA" amid concerns that the Walloon government, the Brussels government, the government of Federation Wallonia-Brussels and the French Community Commission had about the deal. Under the Belgian federal laws, every region has a right to reject the agreement.
Earlier in the day, the European Commission presented to the Belgian region of Wallonia new compromise proposals on CETA.
CETA aims to establish a free trade zone between Canada and the 28-nation bloc, scrapping the majority of the existing tariffs between the two sides. Opponents fear it would undermine standards and regulations on environmental protection, health, safety and workers' rights.