Work Still To Be Done

Progress was made last week, but there's still more work to be done on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA.)

EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht was in Ottawa last week for high level negotiations that included International Trade Minister Ed Fast and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.

"It looks like some issues are still around agriculture, and of course the beef industry is one of those issues. Moving beef into Europe is extremely important for us," says Canadian Cattlemen's Association president Martin Unrau, who was also in Ottawa for the trade talks.

The EU remains opposed to allowing increased access for Canadian beef and pork, while Ottawa does not want to allow increased imports of European dairy products.

Unrau says despite not reaching a deal last week, he expects a it will be finalized in the first quarter of 2013.

"We're still very positive that we will come to some type of an agreement to move some product into Europe and have some substantial trade," he says. "There wasn't a deal, but I think we've gone a long way in bringing both sides together."