Niall Collins
Ceist:305. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation the status of the process for ratifying the CETA; and when the CETA will be voted on by Dáil Éireann in 2018. [53690/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 14 December 2017
Ceisteanna (305)
Freagraí scríofa
The EU – Canada Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force provisionally from the 21st September 2017. This means that Irish companies may now take advantage of important provisions in the Agreement including the immediate elimination of 98% of tariffs on almost all key exports, access to the Canadian procurement market, the easing of regulatory barriers and more transparent rules for market access.
It is important to note that the provisions relating to investment protection and the Investment Court System are excluded from provisional application. This means Ireland or other Member States will not be bound by these provisions until they are ratified by all Member States in accordance with their national law.
In this regard, given the recent request by Belgium for an Opinion (1/17) from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on the compatibility of the Investment Court System in CETA with the European Treaties, I have no immediate plans to seek the ratification of the Agreement. It would only be appropriate to do so after we have considered the Opinion of the CJEU.
Ireland already has a strong trading relationship with Canada which is reflected in the €3.2 billion worth of annual trade between both countries. The value of Irish exports to Canada is worth €2.4 billion whilst the value of Irish imports from Canada is worth €780 million. I welcome the provisional application of CETA which will provide increased opportunities for new and existing Irish companies trading with Canada to build and develop further these relationships, providing increased growth and jobs.