European Council Conclusions

Speaking after the European Council, the co-president of the Greens/EFA group, Philippe Lamberts, said: 

"The Commission and EU governments continue to ignore the unprecedented mobilisation of citizens against trade agreements, such as CETA, which would only serve the interests of multinational corporations, as opposed to serving the general interest. 

"By remaining firm in their opposition, despite unacceptable intimidation, the French-speaking parliaments in Belgium have given us the opportunity to put the brakes on CETA and re-think how we approach trade policy. 

"Our trade policy must be geared towards improving social, environmental and health standards, not narrow corporate interests. It must also be transparent and democratic: this is the only way we can rebuild the trust of our citizens."