PRESS RELEASE
Today a resolution to seek an opinion from the European Court of Justice on the compatibility of CETA with EU Treaties [1] was rejected by the European Parliament.
The push to fast-track the controversial CETA trade deal continues with both the EU Trade Committee and the Conference of the Presidents over the last weeks indicating they were not prepared to allow time for debate and scrutiny within other committees before a vote on the agreement in the Parliament indicatively scheduled for the 14th of December. [2]
The resolution was co-signed by three Irish MEPs: Marian Harkin and Matt Carthy; and Martina Anderson from Northern Ireland, and 86 other MEPs.
The resolution today was intended to clarify whether the sections on investment protection and the resolution of investment disputes between investors and states are in line with several EU Treaties. however the European Parliament thus decided to ignore the opinion of many legal experts who have raised the issue [3].
“The role of the European Parliament is being reduced to a blindfolded rubber stamping of CETA.
“The concern now is not only about the negative impacts of the agreement on areas such as employment, agriculture, effective climate action, progressive regulation and policy etc – but also on how the process is undermining, perhaps irrevocably, the credibility of the EU institutions and particularly the Parliament.
“We need to URGENTLY demand scrutiny and debate from our MEPs on this issue – regardless of their position on the CETA
Rushing such an important decision through, without discussion or even checking if it it is in line with EU treaties is shortsighted and undemocratic”
