Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel failed to secure the agreement of regional authorities at a meeting yesterday which he needed to unblock an EU-Canada (CETA) free trade deal, the premier of the Flanders region told reporters.

Leaders of the French-speaking south of Belgium refused to end their opposition to the CETA pact, Geert Bourgeois said.

The outcome is likely to force the EU to call off a planned signing summit on Thursday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The premier of Belgium’s Wallonia region insisted ahead of a crisis meeting of regional leaders with Michel that he would not agree to an EU-Canada trade deal under pressure.

“Every time you try to put an ultimatum it makes a calm debate and a democratic debate impossible,” Paul Magnette said on arrival at the meeting in Brussels, hours before EU leaders said they would cancel this week’s signing of the CETA pact unless Belgium gave its consent.

“We don’t need an ultimatum,” Magnette told reporters. “We will not decide anything under an ultimatum or under pressure.”

Michel cannot add the consent of Belgium to that of the other 27 EU member states without backing from five regional authorities. Socialist-led Wallonia and French-speaking allies in southern Belgium are withholding that.

“We are not against a treaty with Canada,” Magnette said. “But we won’t have one that jeopardises social and environmental standards and the protection of public services and we want absolutely no private arbitration mechanisms.”