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CETA

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was concluded in 2014 between the European Union and Canada. It entered into provisional application in September 2017.

The agreement covers most aspects of new generation trade deals, including intellectual property, public procurements, regulatory cooperation, services and elimination of tariffs.

It also includes an investment chapter with a revised investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism, dubbed investment court system. Many critics on both sides of the Atlantic say that this new system is largely window-dressing and does not address the core of the problem behind investor-state dispute measures which enable foreign corporations to sue states if they deem their profits or investment potentials affected by new laws or changes in policy.

Photo: Council of Canadians

(March 2020)

CETA: ISDS and data protection
FFII | 2-May-2016
In case the EU would strongly act to protect our personal data, Canadian financial institutions would be able to exploit the textual shortcomings using CETA’s investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism.
Canada , e-commerce | digital economy , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Walloon Parliament rejects CETA
Politico | 29-Apr-2016
The Walloon Parliament voted against ratification of the Canada-Europe Trade Agreement (CETA). The parliament is worried about social and environmental norms and the investor-state arbitration system.
Belgium , Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS
TTIP: le gouvernement britannique ignore ses propres avertissements
Sputnik | 26-Apr-2016
Les futurs tribunaux spéciaux qui régleront les litiges provoqués par le Traité transatlantique controversé TTIP présentent plus de risques que d’avantages pour les gouvernements européens.
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , TTIP , UK
Position de la CES sur la proposition de la Commission visant à inclure un système juridictionnel des investissements dans le PTCI et l’AECG
CES | 20-Apr-2016
Le Comité exécutif et le Congrès de la CES ont clairement refusé l’inclusion dans le PTCI (et l’AECG) de mécanismes étendant aux investisseurs étrangers l’accès à un arbitrage.
actions | resistance , Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , reformed ISDS , TTIP
TDM 1 (2016) - CETA Special
TDM | 7-Apr-2016
This is the first detailed collection of reviews of CETA after its latest revisions, including the reworked Investment Chapter with an investment court replacing international arbitration.
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS
The gold-plated CETA: whose gold and at what cost?
IISD | 17-Mar-2016
Does the agreement reflect 21st century needs and standards?
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , reformed ISDS
« Doit-on autoriser les multinationales américaines à traduire les États européens devant des tribunaux supra nationaux ? »
La Croix | 11-Mar-2016
Même amendé, le mécanisme qui permettrait aux entreprises étrangères de porter plainte contre un État quand elles estiment qu’il a failli aux engagements pris dans un traité d’investissement est illégitime.
Canada , EU , France , investor-state disputes | ISDS , reformed ISDS , TTIP
France sees the EU-Canada agreement as a ‘template’ for TTIP
EurActiv | 9-Mar-2016
Paris would like to “copy-paste” key passages from the EU-Canada free trade agreement, concluded this week, particularly those relating to the arbitration court that is such a controversial issue in Europe.
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , regulation , services , TTIP
La France voit l’accord UE-Canada comme « un modèle » pour le TTIP
EurActiv | 8-Mar-2016
Paris souhaiterait « copier-coller » certains passages clés de l’accord de libre-échange conclu cette semaine entre l’Union européenne et le Canada, notamment ceux relatifs à la cour d’arbitrage tant décriée en Europe.
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , regulation , services , TTIP
A CETA investment court is not the solution
The Globe and Mail | 7-Mar-2016
This is one of the problems with this regime of investor rights. It confers enormous discretion on an elite corps of lawyers.
Canada , EU , investor-state disputes | ISDS , reformed ISDS