Updated with Dr Sant's statement at 2.15pm

Nationalist MEPs David Casa, Roberta Metsola and Therese Comodini Cachia welcomed the European Parliament's adoption of the Trade Agreement with Canada with an overwhelming majority.

They said in a statement the agreement paved the way for more opportunities for Maltese entrepreneurs and consumers. It opened up the Canadian market to Maltese businesses which could now participate in public procurement in Canada at all levels of government from local to regional and national.

They noted that MEP Alfred Sant, the head of the Labour delegation voted against the agreement. 

This, they said, showed that Dr Sant was seemingly in conflict with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. 

Agreement is not a good one - Alfred Sant

In a statement, Dr Sant said he told the EP that as a socialist he found it impossible to ignore the voices raised among trade unions and civil society representatives in Europe - as well as in Canada - who claimed that the agreement was not a good one.

“I would further argue that this also holds for CETA as a template for future trade and investment agreements by the EU. I have therefore voted against its approval.” 

"We live at times when globalisation urgently needs to be managed in the interests of those who are least in the position to defend their situation and their future. The CETA template will not help to do so. It will furher enhance the process by which the global economy is being oligopolised. In turn, this will further strengthen the power of the emerging global oligopolies,” he said.

The European Parliament approved the agreement with 408 votes in favour, 254 against and 33 abstentions. The agreement is expected to be applied provisionally from April.