Wallonia's Parliament began hearings on Wednesday on a Federal Government proposal to ratify the 2016 Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union.
Since the treaty’s provisional implementation, EU exports to Canada have risen by 76%, outpacing imports from Canada, according to Leopoldo Rubinacci, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade.
Belgium’s exports to Canada have nearly doubled during this period, benefiting sectors such as pharmaceuticals, transport equipment, and medical devices, Rubinacci added.
Jean-Christophe Delahu, Co-Director of the AKT employers' association in Wallonia, said the free trade deal had had a positive impact on the regional economy. He noted that in 2025, Wallonia’s exports to Canada were nearly five times higher than its imports, with a trade surplus of €432 million.
Farmers' representatives present at the hearings begged to differ, charging that CETA had not benefitted their sector.
Hugues Falys, spokesperson for the Federation of United Livestock and Farmers’ Groups (FUGEA), argued that the deal has subjected local producers to unfair competition from Canadian farmers, who do not face the same regulatory constraints.
He expressed concern that the ratification of CETA would further intensify competition for local farmers.
He also pointed out that the agreement had enabled Canada to pressure the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) into increasing, by 100 times, the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of glyphosate in agricultural products sold in Europe.
The hearings are set to continue on Friday afternoon with discussions involving representatives of the Walloon Export Agency (Awex), CNCD-11.11.11, and the Union of Middle Classes (UCM).
