EU and Canada sign trade deal after 7 year talks / 歷經七年談判 歐盟加拿大簽署自貿協定　　　　　　　　　　

On Oct. 30, after seven years of negotiations, the European Union and Canada signed the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This will generate large numbers of jobs and economic growth. The Canada agreement is seen as a springboard to a larger EU deal with the United States, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Treaty (TTIP). The deal will eliminate tariffs on almost 99 percent of goods. Supporters say CETA will increase Canadian-EU trade by 20 percent and boost the EU economy by 12 billion euros a year and Canada's by C$ 12 billion. ==JEAN-CLAUDE JUNCKER European Commission President == The agreement that we have just signed with our Canadian friends is the best and the most progressive one that has ever been negotiated by the European Union. It sets the level of our ambition for the other trade deals. External trade for Europe creates jobs and stimulates growth. 31 million jobs in Europe depend directly on our exports. This is the reason why we are eliminating the tariff barriers and we are raising exports." ==JUSTIN TRUDEAU CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER== The work is only just beginning right now as we sign and ratify hopefully soon this agreement, it is then upon us all to ensure that our small businesses, that our industries take advantage of the access to new markets, take advantage of the increased competition to innovate and to advance their own capacities to succeed. That's what trade is all about. It's not just signing the accord, as difficult and as important as that is. It's about the follow-up, that we continue to demonstrate and give tools to small and medium-sized businesses, to individuals on both sides of the Atlantic to be able to draw all the benefits that we know accrue to everyone through responsible progressive trade deals like this one. CETA must still clear some 40 national and regional parliaments in Europe in the coming years to enter fully into force and could potentially be derailed by any single member of the EU. Both the CTA and the EU's stalled TTIP, face opposition in Europe, because European labor rights, environmental protection and public health, standards for genetically modified food and other standards are more stringent than those of the USA. There are fears that free trade will undermine EU labor rights and high safety standards in many fields. There were dozens of protesters outside while the agreement was being signed who protest that the rights of citizens should be more important than those of than multinational corporations. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 加拿大跟歐盟，終於在比利時首都布魯塞爾，簽署了全面性經濟與貿易協定CETA，打開大西洋兩岸自由貿易之門。根據協定，未來歐加雙方將免除98%的關稅種類，加拿大可望打進歐盟5億人口的龐大市場，預計將使雙邊貿易額增加兩成。 ==歐盟執委會主席 容克== 我們與加拿大所簽的自貿協定 是歐盟所協商過 最好最進步的 3100萬個歐洲的工作機會 繫於直接出口貿易 ==加拿大總理 杜魯道== 簽約只是個開始 接下來我們各自要努力 確保我們的小型企業 我們的產業 都因為接觸新市場而獲益 用創新面對新競爭 發展我們的能力追求成功 這項協商談判長達七年，原訂27號簽約，卻因為比利時瓦隆區農民臨時反對，多協商了幾天才達陣。不過，協定還要取得歐盟28個成員國，跟自治議會同意才能生效，只要有任何一國延誤耽擱就能踩住剎車. 無論是歐加自貿協定CETA，或歐盟跟美國協商陷入停滯的TTIP，都面臨歐洲內部強烈反彈聲浪，因為歐洲對勞工權益，環保與公共衛生，基因改造食品等多方面標準都比北美嚴格，自由貿易一開恐怕將打擊歐盟勞工生計、降低既有標準。30號當天就有數十名抗議者在歐洲理事會樓內舉牌敲鼓抗爭，甚至潑灑紅漆抗議，高喊公民利益高於跨國公司。 記者 施慧中 報導