European trade policy is currently undergoing a crisis. There is only a small chance of saving both the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being negotiated with the United States and the final ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada is still uncertain as well.
European Commission chairman Jean-Claude Juncker caused outrage when he suggested that national parliaments of the EU member states were to be bypassed in the bloc’s approval process for the European-Canadian CETA trade treaty. In hindsight, Juncker’s shrewd move shows what a cunning politician he is: He singlehandedly forced leading politicians in the member states to publicly defend the treaty.