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EU wants new date set for signing CETA as Belgian agreement reached

Xinhua, October 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

Brussels wanted to set a new date for signing CETA, a landmark free trade deal between the European Union (EU) and Canada, as Belgian parliaments finally agreed to approve it on Thursday.

"Finally white smoke on CETA. Belgian agreement reached. Hope a date can be set soon for the EU and Canada to sign the deal," the EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom tweeted Thursday noon.

The remarks came shortly after Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel announced that all Belgian parliaments, after difficult negotiations, agreed to approve the deal by Friday midnight.

"Important step for EU and Canada," Michel commented on his twitter account.

The EU and Canada were scheduled to sign CETA in Brussels on Thursday but the Canadian side has to postpone the trip as Belgian parliaments remained deadlock on the deal until early Thursday. Endit