The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada has been approved by the EU Parliament on a vote of 408 in favour to 254 against.

That means the agreement will take effect provisionally on the first day of the month following the date on which the EU and Canada notify each other that their relevant internal procedures have been concluded. That’s likely to be the 1 April.

The vote has been welcomed by Commissioners Malmstrom (Trade) and Hogan (Agriculture).

Malmstrom is looking for a quick provisional application, while Hogan is preparing to lead a business delegation to Canada between the 1-3 May – no doubt to take early advantage of opportunities that may now arise in the agri sector.

Irish politicians divided

Irish MEPs were divided on their approach to CETA, with Fine Gael MEPs in favour of it while Sinn Fein and Independents Luke Ming Flanagan and Marian Harkin had signaled to the Irish Farmers Journal their intention to oppose.

Tariffs will be eliminated on beef exports to Canada while there will be a new bilateral quota of 17,700t of cheese, 16,000t of which are for high-quality cheeses and 1,700t for industrial cheese.

A further 800t of high-quality cheese will be added through a technical adjustment to the EU portion of an existing WTO TRQ, which means the effective total will be 18,500t – more than doubling EU exports of cheese to Canada.

The EU has agreed to accept up to 50,000t of hormone-free Canadian beef, though the EU can export tariff-free and quota-free beef to Canada in return.

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Full coverage: CETA