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Is CETA being blocked as a result of the farmers protest?

CETA is a trade agreement between the European Union (EU), the Member States of the EU and Canada. CETA is an abbreviation for "Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement" .

CETA contains agreements on, among others, trade in goods, services and investments. This treaty provides the Netherlands with 30 percent additional export, however it gives the Netherlands less control over production conditions. Thus, more export, but also more import of products that are not allowed to be manufactured in a certain way in the Netherlands.

CETA has been provisionally entered into force at September 21, 2017. Though, the ratification of the EU trade agreement with Canada may fail because there is no longer a majority in the Senate. One of the reasons for this failure seems to be the protests by Dutch farmers.

These farmers state that CETA would lead to unfair competition in the Dutch agricultural sector. This, because the European market is then opened for Canadian products that do not meet the same requirements (for example in the field of animal welfare or sustainability). The agricultural trade unions 'Dutch Dairy Farmer Union' (NMV) and 'Dutch Agriculture Union' (NAV) will work together with GroenLinks (a Dutch political party) to stop the free trade agreement with Canada.

For Dutch readers: More information about this topic can be read in the article 'Farmers want to block the Free Trade Agreement with the help of GroenLinks' *Only available in Dutch.

Watch the above-displayed video about the EU - Canada free trade agreement.

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23 Oct 2019 at 8:30 am