In the traffic light coalition, a dispute over the ratification of the European-Canadian trade agreement Ceta is looming. That became clear on Friday in a debate in the Bundestag. The FDP economic politician Reinhard Houben said that after a decision by the Federal Constitutional Court, the procedure must now be pushed and the agreement ratified. SPD MP Markus Töns said Ceta was constitutional, fair and sustainable. The court’s decision must be evaluated, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs should present a ratification law as soon as possible. But there is no reason to rush.
Green politicians were more cautious. Franziska Katharina Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Economics, said that the procedure would be examined and secured at European level in order to find a good way. The Green MP Maik Außendorf was critical of a special right of corporations to take legal action provided for in the agreement, which would be to the detriment of consumers and states. These rights are not yet in force.
The Greens’ election program said: “We reject trade agreements that do not adequately protect the climate, environment and consumers. We will therefore not ratify the Ceta agreement in its current version.”
Union politicians called for the trade agreement to be ratified as soon as possible. Waiting any longer would damage the political and economic interests of Germany and the EU, according to an application.
Ceta has been in force provisionally since September 2017. However, some particularly contentious areas are on hold until the parliaments of all EU member states as well as Canada and the EU have ratified the pact. Twelve countries are still missing in the EU, including Germany.
In a decision on Tuesday, the Federal Constitutional Court had expressed doubts as to whether the agreement would be compatible with the Basic Law in all respects. However, because particularly sensitive areas are not yet in force, constitutional complaints have no chance at the moment.
DGB board member Stefan Körzell said that Ceta urgently needs to be improved. “We call on the federal government to finally put pressure on the EU Commission to initiate the reform process of the agreement. All employees must be protected from the negative effects of the agreement.” The sustainability chapter contained in the agreement does not include any enforceable legal remedies to effectively punish violations of employee rights, consumer rights or violations of environmental protection regulations.