At its session on 12 October, the Czech Government approved ratification of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Czechs will sign the document during the EU-Canada summit in Brussels on 27 October. A condition for ratification of this kind of agreement is a consent expressed by both chambers of the Czech Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Read details in Czech here.

Earlier in September, Minister Mládek said in an interview  (in Czech) for the Czech Radio Plus that CETA is a step forward that could improve EU's position in TTIP. negotiations. MEP Kateřina Konečná  (Communist Party) argued that EU will behave as if the agreement came into force, but national parliaments may actually reject the document.. Arbitrations could follow. CETA comparises the same sort of problematic issues as TTIP, she added. Minister Mládek argued that it is a common practice with this kind of agreements and that Association Agreement with Ukraine has been in force despite the Dutch referendum against it. Also, Canada shares values with Europe, the social-democratic functioning, for example.

Despite all worries, Germany's top court allows CETA trade deal to go ahead, DW writes. Read also an opinion piece that was co-signed by 17 members of the European Parliament, from three different political groups.