Canada Says EU's 'job' To Save Trade Pact

BRUSSELS, , (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Oct, 2016 ) - Canada turned up the heat on the European Union Saturday, saying it was the bloc's "job" to save a trade pact put in doubt by a Belgian region's refusal to sign on.

Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian trade minister, was firm after leaving last-ditch talks with European parliament head Martin Schulz to salvage the proposed accord that was seven years in the making.

"Now the ball is in Europe's court and it's time for Europe to finish doing its job," Freeland said, adding that she was returning to Toronto on Saturday but hoped to be able to come back on October 27 and sign the agreement.

Brussels meanwhile scrambled to resolve the impasse as Schulz also had an 11th-hour huddle with Paul Magnette, head of the Wallonia region's socialist government which is blocking the agreement between Ottawa and the 28-nation bloc.

Afterwards both sides admitted the sticking points are related to "problems within the European Union," said Schulz. "We still have some difficulties between Europeans," Magnette said while adding that "the discussions we have had together have been very useful." According to aides of the Walloon leader, Magnette was now waiting for a statement from the European Commission which precisely addresses the Belgian francophone region's concerns about the trade deal.

The pact with Canada known as the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) would link the EU market of 500 million people with the world's 10th biggest economy.