Europe

Talks continue on day EU-Canada trade deal was to be signed

Associated Press
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Minister-President of Wallonia, Paul Magnette, speaks with the media during a break in a meeting at the Belgium Prime Minister's residence in Brussels, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. Belgium is stretching talks to convince its region of Wallonia to give the necessary backing to a trade deal between the European Union and Canada into the eve of a summit to sign the landmark agreement.(AP Photo/Thierry Monasse) (The Associated Press)

Belgium Minister of Foreign Affairs, Didier Reynders, speaks with the media during a break in a meeting at the Belgium Prime Minister's residence in Brussels, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016. Belgium is stretching talks to convince its region of Wallonia to give the necessary backing to a trade deal between the European Union and Canada into the eve of a summit to sign the landmark agreement. (AP Photo/Thierry Monasse) (The Associated Press)

Talks to have one of Belgium's regions lift a veto on the European Union's free trade deal with Canada continue on the day that the landmark agreement was supposed to be officially signed in Brussels.

The Belgian government and regional leaders continued Thursday to fine tune the wording of the agreement to address concerns including the impact on farming and corporate dispute settlements.

The EU presidency said that "the EU-Canada summit will not start today as planned" but left it open as to whether it might simply be delayed to later in the day.

But with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau having to travel to Brussels and approvals still pending from both the EU and Belgian regions, a summit on Thursday becomes more unlikely by the hour.