© Eric Vidal / Reuters
Modstandere går imod, at dele af Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) implementeres, før alle nationale parlamenter i EU har stemt om den.
Tyskland er nu klar til at stemme om CETA næste uge, der vil behøve enstemmig støtte fra alle 28 medlemmer af blokken. Hvis godtaget kan den underskrives den 27. oktober.
Modstanderer mod CETA, herunder rettighedsgrupperne Campact, Foodwatch og More Democracy har samlet næsten 200.000 underskrifter fra tyskere for at protestere mod handelsaftalen. Frygten er, at CETA vil bryde med lønmodtagerrettigheder og at aftalen vil tjene en rig elites interesser.
Kommentar: Delvist oversat af Sott.net fra US vassal state Germany approves first steps in trade deal with Canada, precursor to horrendous TTIP
There are also concerns among opponents that CETA will be used as a model to push through an even more controversial EU-US trade deal called TTIP, much of which remains to be negotiated.
Germany's Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel pushed hard for the deal, saying that if Berlin rejected it, "I don't want to think about the consequences that could have for Europe."
Comment: As in: "We'll make our masters in America very, very angry at us!! Must please master!!"
"I am very pleased that we have made a first big step, because if Europe were not able to deal with Canada, this would send a difficult signal in the world," he said after CETA was approved.
Comment: Translation: If we can't exercise our will and get past this smaller hurdle with dinky Canada - how are we ever going to accomplish the larger goal of getting TTIP passed!?
CETA is intended to eliminate tariffs on 98 percent of goods immediately after ratification and also encompasses regulatory cooperation, shipping, sustainable development and access to government tenders.
There is no unanimous decision on the trade pact among Europe. Southern Belgium is expected to block the deal, and there is uncertainty over Slovenia.
"We had hoped the negotiators would have at least tried to find some improvements, some corrections for Belgium. Today that hasn't happened. We will probably have, though I will leave it for each to say, a rejection by Brussels, in Wallonia and likely too the German-speaking side. Simply put, the south of Belgium is not in favor," Andre Antoine, president of the Walloon regional parliament told Reuters on Tuesday.
Austria's decision will depend on ongoing negotiations between Canada in Europe and the declaration accompanying CETA.
"I hope that by then we have improved this contract enough that it is acceptable to us," said Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. Canada has stressed the declaration will bring no additions to the deal.
Kommentar: This all spells bad news for Germany and most of Europe - effectively shackling themselves to elite corporate agendas - unless smarter and braver heads prevail. See: