The CETA trade deal has been signed following seven years of negotiations and last week’s uncertainty after the agreement was vetoed by the Wallonia parliament in Belgium.

European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the agreement at an EU-Canada trade summit in Brussels on Sunday.

The original summit was planned for Thursday but was cancelled after the Wallonia parliament in Belgium vetoed the agreement due to concerns with farming and welfare standards. However, on Friday all 28 EU Member states approved the deal, allowing Sunday’s summit to go ahead.

Following the signing, the European Commission described the CETA deal as “a landmark accord that sets the benchmark for future agreements.”

European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström said that the deal would get rid of unnecessary costs and overlapping bureaucracy.

“Through our agreement with Canada, we build a bridge to one of our closest allies, making a real impact for our exporters, entrepreneurs and employees. Trade simply works, and we know it from experience,” she said.

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