[Updated on 29 October at 7.25] Wallonia’s parliament finally approved the set of documents, agreed by Belgian entities the day before, to allow the signature of Ceta, the EU-Canada free-trade deal on Friday (28 October).
The motion, giving Belgium’s federal government the power to sign the deal, was adopted by 58 votes to 5. Similar motions were also adopted by the parliament of the Brussels region and the parliament of the French-speaking community.
All 28 EU members are expected to approve the Belgian agreement through a written procedure that will last until late Friday evening.
Once the signatures are sent from the 28 capitals the EU will be able to formally sign Ceta with Canada, at a summit on Sunday.
“Mission accomplished,” European Council president Donald Tusk said in Twitter message to announce the summit, while Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau welcomed a “great news” and said that he was “looking forward to being there.”
Wallonia’s green light brings to end a two-week drama that started with the Walloon parliament adopting a resolution against Ceta on 14 October and led to the postponement of an EU-Canada summit on Thursday (27 October).
“Wallonia is famous all over the world,” the region’s leader, Paul Magnette, told Walloon deputies on Friday.
