EU officials are taking no chances this time. European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted he would only contact Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau again when the EU has completed all its legislative procedures and is ready to sign.
The EU-Canada trade deal, known as CETA, is the result of seven years of negotiations. EU leaders hope it will give a boost to the region's flagging economy.
Its near collapse raised fresh questions over whether Europe is a reliable trade partner at a time of rising political opposition to globalism.
A free trade agreement between the United States and Europe has stalled amid growing political opposition.
And failure to clinch the Canada deal could make it much harder to negotiate a new trade pact with Britain once it leaves the EU.