In a vote earlier today during its plenary session in Strasbourg, Parliament rejected the request by 89 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to refer the EU-Canada Comprehensive Trade Agreement (CETA) to the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU). The referral request was rejected by 419 votes to 258, with 22 abstentions. The vote clears the way for the agreement to be approved by the Parliament.
The request was bought by 89 MEPs who questioned the agreement’s provisions on investor protection and their compatibility with the governments’ right to regulate to achieve a public interest objective (such as environment or public health).
The Parliament’s legal services published an opinion where they point out that the relevant provisions on investment protection are compatible with the EU Treaties.
Under Parliament’s Rules of Procedure (Rule 108), it is possible for the committee responsible, a political group or at least one-tenth of the Members to propose referral of a trade agreement to the CJEU.
On 24 November, the Parliament’s Committee on International Trade (INTA) will hold an extraordinary meeting on CETA. It will vote on the agreement on 5 December and the full plenary will vote during the session from 12 to 15 December.
