Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ireland’s top court rejects Canada-EU trade deal as unconstitutional

Ireland’s top court rejects Canada-EU trade deal as unconstitutional

Supreme Court judges say Ireland’s parliament can approve the CETA deal only if it first amends national arbitration law, a victory for rebel Green lawmakers.
Ireland’s parliamentary efforts to ratify the EU-Canada trade deal are unconstitutional, the Irish Supreme Court ruled Friday in the first such legal rejection by an EU member state.

The judgment, broadcast live online, raised divisions within Ireland’s three-party coalition government, which requires support from the environmentalist Green Party to survive.

The case against the government’s ratification of CETA (the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) was taken by a Green lawmaker, Patrick Costello. He argued that the treaty’s provisions for external arbitration of trade disputes between Canada and EU member states would require an unconstitutional transfer of state authority.

By a 4-3 majority, Ireland’s ultimate arbiter over the country’s 1937 constitution partly agreed with Costello. However, a 6-1 majority found that Ireland’s parliament could proceed to ratify the deal — once the country’s Arbitration Act has been amended to permit such transfers of power.

Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who is also Ireland’s trade minister, expressed disappointment with the verdict but said Ireland remains determined to ensure the treaty’s “ratification in full.”

“Our initial assessment is that a referendum is not required and that ratification can follow once some changes are made to domestic law,” said Varadkar, who noted that the treaty had expanded Canadian markets for more than 400 Irish companies.

Costello welcomed his legal win as an “incredible day” that protects “the integrity of our courts system and our constitution” and would further delay, if not permanently block, ratification in Ireland.

Most of the treaty’s rules already have been provisionally applied across the EU, allowing the vast majority of Canadian goods to be imported tariff-free.

Some Irish Greens last year broke with the government’s pro-treaty position, including their own party leaders. The rebels argued that external arbitration of future disputes could force Ireland to accept lower environmental standards observed by Canadian firms in violation of Ireland’s legal commitments to EU climate change goals. Costello’s lawsuit put a halt to government plans to ratify the treaty in parliament last year.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
×