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EU parliament approves trade deal with Canada

Activists stage a demonstration against the so-called CETA trade deal outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2017. The European Union Commission and most of the major parliamentary groups made a final push to approve a landmark trade deal with Canada ahead of a decisive noon vote in the EU's legislature. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Activists stage a demonstration against the so-called CETA trade deal outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Feb.15, 2017. The European Union Commission and most of the major parliamentary groups made a final push to approve a landmark trade deal with Canada ahead of a decisive noon vote in the EU's legislature. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

By Associated Press 1 min read

BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union’s parliament approved a trade deal with Canada on Wednesday, extolling the pact as a sign of cooperation at a time when many political forces, including U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, are trying to halt globalization.

After three hours of debate on Wednesday and years of negotiations preceding that, the legislature approved the deal by a margin of 408 for, 254 against with 33 abstentions.

The vote should close the drawn-out approval process across the 28 member states, where some governments and legislations had tried to modify or scupper the deal. The Netherlands could still block it if it demands an advisory national referendum on the deal.