Status: Ratified 10 June 2020
Luxembourg has a unicameral system, requiring the Chambre des Députés to ratify CETA. CETA was ratified in May 2020, with formal notification of ratification in June 2020. Ratification was steered by a coalition government led by the Democratic Party, the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party and the Greens.
Public debate
Contestation during CETA’s ratification in Luxembourg was intensive, with centre-right opposition parties abstaining and smaller political parties opposing. There was a relatively large mobilization effort by opponent CSOs, arguing that CETA lacks transparency, environmental protection and that the investor-state dispute settlement provisions would result in labour rights and sustainable development being unenforceable. Opposing CSOs include the Mouvement Ecologique and Fairtrade Lëtzebuerg and ULC Union Luxembourgeoise des Consommateurs.
Trade data
Luxembourg had a trade deficit in goods trade with Canada of €10 million in 2021 (Eurostat). Imports from Canada were €112 million, 4.7% of Luxembourg’s imports from outside the EU . Exports were €124 million, 4.6% of Luxembourg’s extra-EU exports (Eurostat). Canada-Luxembourg bilateral goods trade (imports + exports) decreased by €106 million, 33.6%, between 2016 and 2019 (Statistics Canada).
Sources
Chamber of Commerce, Luxembourg. (May 2020). “Luxembourg gives green light to CETA.” Link.
Corporate Europe Observatory. (November 2016). European and Canadian civil society groups call for rejection of CETA. Link
Eschbach, A. The Ratification Process in EU Member States – A presentation with particular consideration of the TTIP and CETA free trade agreements. Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law. Link
European Public Service Union. (June 2016). Unions and Civil Society are Mobilizing: No to CETA – a bad deal for workers and people. Link
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