France’s Senate rejects bill to ratify EU-Canada trade deal because of farmers’ concerns

By THOMAS ADAMSON
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France’s Senate has voted overwhelmingly to reject legislation to ratify a 2017 trade deal between the European Union and Canada that has been criticized by farmers as fostering unfair competition from abroad. The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, provisionally went into effect in September 2017 after all EU governments agreed to it, but its full implementation requires approval by each national parliament. Thursday’s 211-44 vote in the Senate does not necessarily mean that France ultimately will reject ratification. The vote sends the bill back to the powerful National Assembly, which previously has approved it and can move to override the Senate rejection and give final approval to the measure.