The European Parliament has approved a free trade deal between the European Union and Canada, allowing it to enter force provisionally in the coming months.
EU lawmakers backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the EU-Canada deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally apply some eight years after negotiations began.
The CETA passage has not been smooth.
French-speakers in southern Belgium, a minority within their own small country and accounting for less than one per cent of the 508 million EU consumers likely to be affected by CETA, raised objections that held up the deal last year until a breakthrough was confirmed by regional parliamentary votes.
European Parliament MPs backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the EU-Canada deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally enter into force some eight years after negotiations began.
CETA has been the focus of demonstrations in Europe led by trade unions and protest groups that say it will lead to a race to the bottom in labour and environmental standards and allow multinational corporations to dictate public policy.
The chief point of contention is the deal's system to protect foreign investors, which critics say can lead to cases such as Philip Morris's challenge, albeit unsuccessful, of plain tobacco packaging in Australia.
Supporters say the right to regulate is enshrined in the treaty and CETA has replaced closed arbitration panels with transparent and independent courts to settle disputes.
Full implementation of CETA, including investment, will only ensue after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments, by no means a certainty.
Backers say CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros ($A16.5 billion) a year and Canada's by $C12 billion ($A11.95 billion).
For Canada the deal is important to reduce its reliance on the neighbouring United States as an export market.
For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success at a time when the bloc's credibility has taken a beating from Britain's vote last June to leave the bloc.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who met US President Donald Trump on Monday, is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday.
EU lawmakers backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the EU-Canada deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally apply some eight years after negotiations began.
The CETA passage has not been smooth.
French-speakers in southern Belgium, a minority within their own small country and accounting for less than one per cent of the 508 million EU consumers likely to be affected by CETA, raised objections that held up the deal last year until a breakthrough was confirmed by regional parliamentary votes.
European Parliament MPs backed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) by 408-254, meaning large parts of the EU-Canada deal, notably tariff reduction, will finally enter into force some eight years after negotiations began.
CETA has been the focus of demonstrations in Europe led by trade unions and protest groups that say it will lead to a race to the bottom in labour and environmental standards and allow multinational corporations to dictate public policy.
The chief point of contention is the deal's system to protect foreign investors, which critics say can lead to cases such as Philip Morris's challenge, albeit unsuccessful, of plain tobacco packaging in Australia.
Supporters say the right to regulate is enshrined in the treaty and CETA has replaced closed arbitration panels with transparent and independent courts to settle disputes.
Full implementation of CETA, including investment, will only ensue after clearance by more than three dozen national and regional parliaments, by no means a certainty.
Backers say CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 per cent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros ($A16.5 billion) a year and Canada's by $C12 billion ($A11.95 billion).
For Canada the deal is important to reduce its reliance on the neighbouring United States as an export market.
For the EU, it is a first trade pact with a G7 country and a success at a time when the bloc's credibility has taken a beating from Britain's vote last June to leave the bloc.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who met US President Donald Trump on Monday, is due to address the European Parliament on Thursday.
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