CETA (EDM 165)

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CETA (EDM 165)

Thank you for contacting me about the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada and Early Day Motion (EDM) 165.

I appreciate your concerns on this issue. As it stands, CETA is expected to be a “mixed” agreement, covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In this case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. In practice EU trade agreements which contain a mixture of EU and Member State competence are agreed by consensus, this means each Member State’s Parliament must agree before the treaty can fully come into force.

Following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union, the UK will need to begin the process of leaving the EU. Once the UK ceases to be an EU member state, we will no longer be a CETA party. CETA does not offer any mechanism for the UK to join as a non-EU member state and contains no provisions for accession by new parties, other than new EU member states. Therefore, I do not think it is necessary to sign the EDM.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

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