EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a free trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, which provisionally came into force on 21 September 2017.

CETA threatens the ability of the EU and its Member States to protect its residents from environmental pollution, including from industrial emissions, pesticides, and mining. As detailed in a report by CIEL, the deal weakens the ability of the EU and Member States to protect people and the environment from pesticides, in an effort to remove incompatible regulations that are seen as an impediment to trade. In addition to deregulation, CETA would create an arbitration tribunal to allow companies to sue and receive compensation from EU Member States for enacting measures that protect the environment and public health.

Though much of the deal has already gone into effect, the investor-state dispute settlement provisions will not go into effect until all Member States ratify the agreement.

CIEL is working with civil society organizations in Member States to identify and communicate the risks of the full ratification of CETA and other trade and investment agreements.

Last updated February 2018