The Loose Thread That Could Unravel Canada-EU Trade Deal

May 18, 2017

The EU’s top court has confirmed that in at least one controversial area, such deals must be approved by all 28 of the organization’s member states.

Since some EU members, such as Belgium, require the consent of regional as well as national legislatures, this confirms Ottawa’s worst fears: the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the EU must be OK’d by no fewer than 38 separate European parliaments before it comes into full effect.

Tuesday’s ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union was ostensibly about a 2013 free trade deal between Singapore and the EU. But it sets a precedent for similar yet far more important pacts, including CETA.

In effect, the court ruled that any deal allowing foreign investors to challenge national governments, such as the proposed investment court system within CETA, must be unanimously approved by all EU states.

The investment court system, sometimes called the investor-state dispute mechanism, would allow foreign companies to challenge domestic laws that threaten their profitability. It has long been a flash point in Europe.

Pointing to Canada’s sorry experience with a similar system under the North American Free Trade Agreement, critics argue – correctly – that it lets foreign investors override democratically elected legislatures.

Source: MeatBusiness

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.