Bürgerinitiative Fracking freies Hessen n.e.V.

Joint statement on changes needed to CETA
by the European Trade Union Confederation and the Canadian Labour Congress
When negotiations first started
on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), trade unions on both sides of the Atlantic were hopeful. We
knew that the negotiation of a free trade agreement between Canada and Europe– both developed regions– offered an important
opportunity to demonstrate that it is possible to both expand trade links and maintain and even improve social, labour and environmental standards.
We believed this was especially important given growing global consensus around the need to promote social cohesion and foster
sustainable development.
CETA could indeed have become the new “gold standard” for global trade agreements.
Canadian and European trade unions called for transparent negotiations that included the full participation of labour and civil society.
But after years of secrecy, the negotiated text was released, and we were told it was not open for debate or amendments.