EU-Canada pact to kick in

Brussels, July 9: The CETA free trade agreement between the European Union and Canada will be applied provisionally from September 21, the two sides announced in a joint statement on Saturday.

European commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed on the date pending full application of the agreement once it has been approved by parliaments of all EU member states.

That approval must follow on from that previously given by the European and Canadian parliaments — though the process could take some years. “As of September 21, 98% of CETA will be applied, creating more jobs for people & opportunities for businesses,” Mr Trudeau wrote on Twitter. The choice of the September date will allow “for all the necessary implementing measures to be taken before that date,” a statement said. Several details still require ironing out, an EU diplomat had said.