Member states sidelined on CETA Free Trade Agreement 

Last Tuesday, the European Commission chairman Juncker informed the Netherlands that the national parliaments of the member states have no say in whether the EU enters the CETA agreement – the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada – or not. Marianne Thieme requested the cabinet for a debate last week. The majority of the Lower House backed this request. The free trade agreement gives more power to multinationals and threatens democracy and standards in the area of food safety, privacy, animal welfare and the environment. The Party for the Animals is against CETA and wants a referendum. Such far-reaching free trade agreement must be brought before the national parliaments in the EU and the EU people.

The EU chairman Juncker wants to sideline national parliaments regarding the approval or rejection of CETA. The free trade agreement between the EU and Canada is not only a serious threat to democracy, animal welfare, nature, the environment and Dutch farmers, but it is also a backdoor to the European market for American companies that have a subsidiary in Canada. For that reason the Party for the Animals believes that it is of the utmost importance that the Netherlands has the possibility to say no to the CETA independently. At the initiative of Marianne Thieme, the Lower House will go into debate about this with the Minister of Foreign Trade after summer recess.

Thieme: “As far as Juncker is concerned, CETA will take effect as soon as possible, without consulting EU citizens or independent parliaments and even without waiting for the advice of the Europe Court of Justice. The Netherlands should be allowed to say yes or no to CETA. Preferably by referendum, but at least in the Lower House.“