Reading Time: 2 minutes Vienna/Brussels | Reuters — Canada’s trade minister and the European Union’s trade chief sought Wednesday to overcome the doubts of Austria and other EU members over a planned EU-Canada free trade deal, with a declaration spelling out the limits of the contentious pact. Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland, speaking in Vienna, said the legally binding […] Read more
EU, Canada seek to win over CETA doubters with declaration
German minister expects to win vote on CETA
Reading Time: < 1 minute Montreal | Reuters –– Germany’s economy minister said Thursday he expected the country’s Social Democrats, a junior partner in the ruling coalition, to vote in favour of a free-trade agreement between Canada and the European Union at a party meeting on Sept. 19. “We will get a majority vote,” German Vice-Chancellor and Economic Affairs Minister […] Read more
Austrian government split on opposition to CETA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vienna | Reuters –– Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern’s opposition to a free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada was countered by fervent praise for the deal from his deputy at a special parliamentary session on the issue on Wednesday. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada, negotiations for which have finished, […] Read more
Canada working toward EU trade agreement in October
Reading Time: < 1 minute Toronto | Reuters –– Canada is working toward signing a new trade agreement with the European Union in October, federal Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said Monday. “We’re working hard for it to be the year when CETA, the Canada-EU trade agreement, is signed. We’re working towards signing in October and ratification early next year,” she […] Read more
EU regulators halt Dow, DuPont merger review to gather data
Reading Time: < 1 minute Brussels | Reuters — European Union antitrust regulators have halted their scrutiny of Dow Chemical and DuPont’s proposed merger while the companies provide more information regarding their US$130 billion deal. The European Commission opened a full investigation into the case in August, concerned that the deal to create the world’s largest integrated crop protection and […] Read more
Austria drops talk of ‘conflict’ over EU-Canada trade deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vienna | Reuters — Austria toned down its opposition to a free trade deal between the European Union and Canada on Friday, two days after social democrat Chancellor Christian Kern had vowed to start a “conflict” over the agreement. While the so-called CETA accord is all but sealed, the Austrian leader’s opposition reflects concerns widely […] Read more
Austria expects ‘conflict’ on Canada trade deal
Reading Time: 2 minutes Vienna | Reuters — Austria is ready to confront other European Union members states over its opposition to a free trade deal with Canada, Chancellor Christian Kern said, because it sees it containing many of the same problems as one being negotiated with the U.S. Austria opposes a proposed free trade deal with the United […] Read more
Pettigrew tapped to help push through EU trade deal
Reading Time: < 1 minute Ottawa | Reuters — Canada has named a former politician with experience in trade and foreign affairs as the government’s new envoy to help complete its long-negotiated free trade agreement with the European Union, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Pierre Pettigrew, who served as both minister of foreign affairs and minister for international trade under previous […] Read more
Britain to plug EU funding gap for farms, colleges
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — Britain will fill a gap of as much as 4.5 billion pounds (C$7.5 billion) in funding for agriculture, universities and its regions that will open up when Britain leaves the European Union, finance minister Philip Hammond said. Scientists, farmers and others who got EU funding were facing uncertainty after Britain voted […] Read more
EU regulators to investigate Dow, DuPont merger
Reading Time: < 1 minute Brussels | Reuters –– EU antitrust regulators have opened a full investigation into Dow Chemical and DuPont’s proposed US$130 billion merger, saying the deal may reduce competition in crop protection, seeds and some petrochemicals. The European Commission said the deal, which would create the world’s largest integrated crop protection and seeds company, may also hurt […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
