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EU-Canada free trade deal could be last if fails: EU's Tusk

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU)'s trade deal with Canada could be the bloc's last free trade agreement if it fails, warned European Council President Donald Tusk Thursday.

The negotiations were still going on after EU governments failed to approve the deal, known as CETA, in Luxembourg two days ago, Tusk said at the arrival of a two-day summit begins on Thursday afternoon.

"I am afraid ... CETA could be our last free trade agreement," said Tusk. "If we are not able to convince people that trade agreements are in their interest, if we are not able to convince them that our representatives negotiate the FTAs (free trade agreements) to protect people's interest."

He warned that problem went beyond CETA and the bloc faced the risks that it had no chance to build public support for free trade if situation worsened.

The EU-Canada deal currently received the biggest opposition from Belgium, whose southern region threatened to block the entire deal, while Bulgaria and Romania still had reservation and demanded visa-free treatments for their citizens from Canada.

"I hope that Belgium will once again prove that it is a true champion in compromise-making," said Tusk, expressing hope that on Friday the summit would have an agreement to pave the way for signing CETA. Endit