‘EU’s job to save trade pact’

BRUSSELS: Canada turned up the heat on the EU Saturday, saying it was the bloc´s "job" to save a trade pact put in doubt by a Belgian region´s refusal to sign on.

Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian trade minister, was firm after leaving last-ditch talks with European parliament head Martin Schulz to salvage the proposed accord that is seven years in the making.

"Now the ball is in Europe´s court and it´s time for Europe to finish doing its job," she said, adding that she was returning to Toronto on Saturday.

"I very much hope that I will be able to return here in just a few days to Europe with my prime minister and that we will be able to... sign this agreement with Europe on October 27."

Schulz also planned an 11th-hour huddle with Paul Magnette, head of Wallonia´s socialist government which is blocking the agreement between Ottawa and the 28-nation European Union.

The Brussels meetings are aimed at "reviving CETA talks. We can´t stop at the last mile," Schulz wrote on Twitter, referring to the agreement´s name.

CETA would link the EU market of 500 million people with the world´s 10th biggest economy.

 The accord was initially scheduled to be signed next Thursday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Brussels -- and Schulz said that that date remained in the diary.

"The problems are on the Europeans´ table and we have to try to resolve them," he said. "This meeting was very constructive and will perhaps be decisive. "I remain optimistic."

Canada blasted the European Union on Friday as incapable of signing international agreements, as talks to persuade Wallonia to sign up to the huge trade deal broke down.

Freeland´s comments fed into warnings that the EU, beset by rising anti-globalisation sentiment, may never be able to land any other deals including one with the United States.

"It seems obvious to me, to Canada, that the European Union is incapable now of having an international agreement, even with a country with such European values as Canada, and even with a country as kind and patient as Canada," Freeland said Friday.