Why Ireland's lucrative exports to Canada are in jeopardy

The French senate last week voted to reject the Ceta free trade agreement between the EU and Canada

In November, Enterprise Ireland client companies took part in a trade mission to Vancouver and Toronto. Picture: iStock

Sun, 24 Mar, 2024 - 16:05

An expert in Irish and international trade, John Whelan is a former Chief Executive of the Irish Exporters Association, a role he held for more than a decade and previously served as an export industry adviser to the AIB Bank Group.

The overwhelming vote by the French senate last week to reject the free trade agreement between the EU and Canada puts Ireland’s lucrative trade with the North American country in jeopardy.

The decision is a blow to the Macron government and a victory for the French farming lobby, who have opposed the trade deal from the outset, seeing it as another example of EU policies damaging their interests.