The inherent weakness of the European Union and its utter inability to achieve anything of real value has been clearly demonstrated by the problems it's now facing over a proposed trade agreement with Canada.
After 7 years of negotiation, agreement has been halted by the demands of a small part of Belgium, Wallonia. The Belgian constitution requires that its constituent provinces agree to such international deals before the national government can actually sign up to them. Unfortunately for the EU, the provincial government of Wallonia, a region of 3.6 million people, does not like the deal which has been negotiated with Canada and has withheld its approval. Consequently, 7 years of talks, negotiation, nit-picking and compromise may now be consigned to the dustbin of history as a total waste.
In a 'last ditch' attempt to save the deal, EU representatives are holding emergency talks involving the Canadian trade minister and the head of the Walloon government, though this unholy mess has already cast a huge shadow over the EU's ability to forge major international deals. If ever anyone needed proof of the bureaucratic nightmare which is the EU, this is it.
Clearly, there are implications for any future deals with the UK after it leaves the Union, however, there are also implications for the future of the EU itself. While its leaders seek 'More Europe', it is obvious that local priorities have ultimate precedence and the Union is ultimately ungovernable. Not only that, but the much vaunted notion of a united Europe as a major trading block, forging momentous deals around the world, is shown to be pure fantasy. With the proposed transatlantic 'TTIP' deal already looking dead in the water, the EU is looking less like an aid to trade and far more like an obstruction.
If the Walloons can halt a major deal like this, what price a successful negotiation over Brexit within the 2 year time frame set down in 'Article 50' ?
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