Schulz on his meetings with Chrystia Freeland and Paul Magnette

“I had two separate very constructive and fruitful meetings this morning in the European Parliament with Chrystia Freeland, the federal Minister of International Trade of Canada and with Paul Magnette, the Minister-President of Wallonia on the issue of CETA

These meetings give me much reason for optimism about the positive conclusion of CETA as soon as possible. During my meeting with Minister Freeland, it was clear that the negotiations between Canada and the EU are now closed and that Canada remains absolutely keen to sign CETA at the earliest possible date.

The few remaining issues which stand in the way of the adoption of CETA are for us Europeans to solve. My meeting with Minister-President Magnette, to which the Commission’s services were also associated - and for whose support I am grateful, confirmed that none of the stumbling blocks on the way of CETA’s adoption by Belgium are insurmountable. The contrary is true: this morning’s meeting already set out the next steps needed to give further clarity and legal certainty to meet the concerns raised by the Walloon Parliament and which are shared by many citizens in Europe.

I am convinced that, by fully addressing the last remaining concerns, we can turn the apparent European division on CETA of the last weeks into a victory for every participant to the agreement.”