CETA SIGNING COULD BE CANCELLED IF DEADLOCK PERSISTS

I f Belgium cannot break a deadlock over the European Union’s landmark free deal with Canada by Monday night, EU leaders will consider cancelling a signing ceremony scheduled for later in the week, sources said Sunday. Two officials with knowledge of the negotiations said that EU leaders plan to have telephone talks with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about cancelling t he Thursday summit i f Belgium’s support f or the deal isn’t secured by the deadline. The deal needs unanimity among the 28 EU nat i ons, and Belgium needs unanimity among its regions. The francophone region of Wallonia, population 3.5 million, has been the lone holdout and refused to approve the trade pact.