CETA
is definitely another huge nail in the coffin of European democracy.
This has been a deal written by, and with, big business. You can see
it in who’s coming out. SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises]
have said, “We’re not in favor of CETA or TTIP.” Those who are
cheerleading it are those very same big businesses so you have more
rights being handed over to big business, you have their investors
being protected, and ultimately what we’re seeing is the profits of
the biggest businesses being put before the interests of European
citizens and those across Europe who actually want to have a decent
quality of life.
The
Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement (CETA) will allow the
economy to be run by big corporations. And the protesters of the deal
- who have solid arguments - have not been heard, says Lode Vanoost,
a former Deputy Speaker of the Belgian Parliament.
Protesters
have attempted to storm the EU headquarters in Brussels in a bid to
stop the signing of the controversial EU- Canada trade deal.
Canadian
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European leaders inked the landmark
trade pact despite the unrest outside.
The
Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was expected to be
signed earlier this month, but a Belgian region used its veto power
to block the deal. And it was only on Friday they changed course and
gave it the green light.
Supporters
claim it will create business opportunities for EU firms in Canada
and vice-versa. The deal also aims to create new jobs in Europe.
However,
opponents say that it will damage consumer and workers' rights. They
also think it will allow multinationals to push small companies out
of business.
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