Wallonia

[-Talbot-]

Ever heard of it?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-eu-ceta-brussels-friday-1.3815332

[Prudie]

If you'd asked me what it was I'd have said a language spoken in Brussels, Come to think of it, that's walloon or similar.

[Jackdaw33]

Southern half of Belgium.

[EDDIE51]

Yes it's a region of Belgium.

[Jackdaw33]

Belgium was created in 1830 uniting Dutch Flanders with French Wallonia to form a buffer state between France and Holland to reduce Spanish influence in the Netherlands.

[-Talbot-]

Thanks all, I have of course heard of it (and been there) but I had no idea how much power it has.



psst ... there is a link.

[Peter Pedant]

I love it on AB when someone says

ever heard of it ?

and when we all say "yeah of course we do we done French O level"
and OP comments
"I have of course heard of it (and been there) but I had no idea how much power it has"

happens every day .... we are here to serve....

[Prudie]

I thought we were supposed to answer without reading the link, that's cheating.

[Mamyalynne]

I know David Davis isn't going there because Peter told us earlier.

[-Talbot-]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ttip-trade-deal-agreement-failed-brexit-latest-news-eu-us-germany-vice-chancellor-a7213876.html



The EU are not doing too well with trade deals are they.
Who is next to not do a deal with and what are our chances when we leave?

[New Judge]

This item of news demonstrates perfectly why the EU is an obsolete moribund organisation. A decent trade deal with a country like Canada, whilst not absolutely necessary, would be very handy. A single nation should be able to conclude such an agreement fairly swiftly. Negotiations for this deal have been lumbering along for seven years; every time a new word or two appears in the text the whole thing has to be trundled through the full panoply of EU machinery (which, remember, uproots itself for four days each month, at a cost of £150m pa, from Brussels to Strasbourg to satisfy French vanity). Then, if the new words are not acceptable to each of the 28 members, back go the negotiators to try again. With ten or so fairly similar economies it was difficult enough but just about manageable; with 28 disparate nations such negotiations are a near impossibility (as failed attempts to conclude this and the TTIP testify).

The EU announced that it was “not capable” of concluding this deal. The refusal of 3 million or so people to accept it has prevented its implementation for 500 million others. This is just one of the reasons why Brexit is necessary. The EU is past its sell-by date (if it was ever within it). It is an increasing nonentity as the rest of the world presses on with doing things unencumbered by the antics of centralising, regulating politicians. The sooner we’re completely out the better because all the time we remain, the ability to conclude deals like this purely in the interests of the UK is unavailable.

[-Talbot-]

Here we go a good old British link

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37731955

[EDDIE51]

Whatever the reason it can only be good news that TTIP has failed to be implemented.

[New Judge]

“…what are our chances when we leave?”

Slim to none. The EU cannot even agree on a permanent location for its institutions. There is very little chance of all the 27 remaining nations agreeing to any deal with the UK. That’s why we need to leave asap, stop fannying around worrying about what sort of “deal” we will kindly be offered and simply crack on and take ourselves off in whatever direction suits us. If the EU nations had any sense they’d do the same.

[jno]

you'll be telling me next that you've never heard of Slavonia

[EDDIE51]

If you are wondering why TTIP is a bad idea look at this!
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/what-is-ttip-and-six-reasons-why-the-answer-should-scare-you-9779688.html

[jno]

I gather Clinton used to be in favour of TTIP and now she's not, which is progress. Secret trade deals can't be good.

Also, I wouldn't trust Freeland as far as I could spit her, having had some dealings with her in Canada a while back. (I could be biased, of course.)

[Bertrum]

Ceta is just as dangerous as TTIP
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/30/ttip-trade-deal-agreements-ceta-eu-canada

[jourdain2]

Yes - and this whole situation displays why we should abandon any attempt to try to make a deal with Europe. We need to make other deals - over 50 countries have Free Trade deals with the EU, without the need to accept unlimited immigration. If the EU won't accept that approach (which it seems it won't because we've upset some sensibilities) then we move further afield and return when the EU is somewhat more malleable in its approach.

[ichkeria]

Belgium is a very fragile union between Flanders and Wallonia so this is hardly a surprise