Belgium blocs key EU pact with Canada
Belgium cannot sign a key EU trade deal with Canada, Prime Minister Charles Michel says, because of regional objections led by staunchly socialist Wallonia.
His statement appeared to dash hopes the Ceta deal could be signed by EU leaders and Canada on Thursday.
Mr Michel said that talks with French-speaking regions had broken down, BBC News reports.
It is said to be the EU's most ambitious free trade deal to date but Belgium needs the regions' approval to sign it.
Mr Michel said he had told European Council President Donald Tusk that Belgium could not sign the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta).
The other 27 EU governments want to sign Ceta, which has been in the pipeline for seven years.
The European Commission had set Belgium a Monday deadline to make its decision on the deal.
Wallonia, a region of 3.6 million people, wants stronger safeguards on labour, environmental and consumer standards.
On Monday, it emerged that two other Socialist-led, French-speaking parliaments also opposed Ceta.
"The federal government, the German community and Flanders said 'yes.' Wallonia, the Brussels city government and the French community said 'no'," Mr Michel said.
The Belgian Socialists' fears echo those of anti-globalisation activists, who say Ceta and deals like it give too much power to multinationals - power even to intimidate governments.
There have also been big demonstrations in several EU countries against Ceta and the TTIP trade talks between the EU and the US.
On Sunday the European Commission presented a new clarification to Wallonia on the mechanism for settling disputes with investors.
The rules for trade arbitration are one of the thorniest issues in the deal.
But Belgium's RTBF news reported (in French) that the latest EU document did not satisfy the Walloon politicians.
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