Congress has welcomed the passing of a Seanad motion that calls on the government 'to neither agree to sign up or authorise" any "provisional application" of the proposed new Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), between the EU and Canada.
The Seanad motion was proposed by Senator Alice Mary Higgins and supported by senators from across the political spectrum.
"Congress congratulates Senator Higgins and those who supported this motion. We hope this will help kickstart a badly-needed debate on this proposed trade deal, which is opposed by unions across the EU and the United States," said David Joyce of Congress.
The CETA agreement is a precursor of the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and includes many of the same key provisions, including the Investor Court System, which Congress has previously described as an "affront to democracy."
The CETA deal is due to be signed by Canada and the EU on October 27, but national parliaments will then have to debate and vote on its application. The deal also requires the support of the European Parliament.
