 The Canada Europe Roundtable for Business (CERT), founded in 1999, has been a principal advocate for a free trade agreement and is supported by more than 100 Canadian and European chief executives.CERT is co-chaired by former Canadian trade minister Roy MacLaren and former editor of "The Economist" magazine Bill Emmott.In June 2009, EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton and Canadian Minister of International Trade Stockwell Day released a joint statement regarding the start of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).