EU leaders say trade deal with Canada is done
By Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA - European Union leaders said Friday their major trade agreement with Canada has the backing of all 28 EU countries as they firmly dismissed concerns that some European countries might scuttle the deal.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy gave those unequivocal assurances as they bookended Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a joint Parliament Hill press conference to finalize the closing of five tough years of negotiations.
The short Canada-EU summit is to celebrate the end of the free-trade talks, but there are still some potential obstacles ahead. The federal government also released the full text of the agreement, following years of criticism that the negotiations were too secretive.
German opposition to the deal resurfaced in the country's parliament again on Thursday, after it expressed concern last month that it could not support an investor state dispute mechanism.
The Canadian Press has learned there is also persistent worry that two unhappy eastern European countries could still derail the deal.
Canada requires visas for travellers from Romania and Bulgaria and some diplomats fear one or both of those countries could block ratification of the agreement if the requirement is not lifted.
Barroso said that a joint declaration that he, Van Rompuy and Harper signed just minutes earlier had the full backing of every member of the EU.
"The declaration that we signed was fully backed by all of the member states of European Union, including Germany," Barroso said.
"Until now, all the official communications we've received from Germany were absolutely in favour of this agreement. If would be very strange if it were to be otherwise because if I may add, the country that is going to benefit the most from this agreement is, indeed, Germany."
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EU leaders say trade deal with Canada is done