21 October 2016 Last updated at 19:29 BST
The EU was "not capable" of signing a trade agreement with Canada she said after the collapse of talks on a wide-ranging deal.
Negotiations have dragged on for seven years, but in the end a Belgian region - population 3.6 million - blocked an accord which stands to affect hundreds of millions of people.
Canadian Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland was choking back tears as reporters cornered her in Brussels.