German court rejects new challenge to EU-Canada pact

BERLIN – Germany’s supreme court has dismissed another challenge to a European Union-Canada trade deal that was signed late last year following tortuous negotiations.

The Federal constitutional Court in October rejected calls from opponents of the trade deal, known as CETA, to issue an injunction forcing the German government to withhold its approval of the pact.

It did, however, impose some conditions — stipulating that CETA must be interpreted in a way that would allow a unilateral German exit from the deal’s application.

Opponents then sought another injunction against the application of the deal. But the court said Thursday it had rejected their argument that the government hadn’t complied with the conditions it imposed.

The CETA was signed Oct. 30 following a last-minute standoff with a small Belgian region.