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41st Inter-Parliamentary meeting between the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and the European Parliament's delegation for relations with Canada

The Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada held their 41st Interparliamentary Meeting on 17 December 2022 in Ottawa. At the conclusion of the meeting, they adopted the following statement:

A RENEWED AND STRENGTHENED PARTNERSHIP

We, the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada, assembled for our 41st Interparliamentary Meeting (IPM) on December 17th in Ottawa, Canada. This was our first IPM since March 2019, owing to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it reaffirmed our shared belief in the value of in-person parliamentary diplomacy. It also demonstrated our strong commitment to further advancing EU-Canada relations.

We engaged in substantive discussions on some of the most difficult challenges we are confronting together: energy security and affordability; climate change; the effective regulation of the digital realm; and the massive global displacement being provoked by myriad crises around the world.

These discussions took stock of and built on the excellent cooperation and policy dialogue already taking place between the EU and Canada. Our meeting generated ideas, proposals, and debates that we are certain will continue in our respective capitals, influencing policy decisions in positive and constructive ways in the short-, medium-, and long term.

We also gathered at a time of particular significance in the Canada-European Union relationship: the fifth anniversary of the provisional application of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA).

Since CETA’s application, two-way merchandise trade has increased by 33% despite the global COVID-19 pandemic. CETA has significantly boosted services trade and investment opportunities, and it has created many new jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. At the same time, the CETA and the SPA have deepened bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas and created a robust framework for substantive and sustained policy dialogue. This has led to new forms of cooperation, such as the Canada-EU Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials.

In light of the success of CETA and SPA, we urge the EU Member State parliaments that have not yet ratified the agreements to do so expeditiously, so that both agreements can come into full force. In that respect, we welcome the recent vote by the German parliament to ratify CETA. Looking forward, however, we stress that CETA should not be considered a final agreement; we call on the Government of Canada and the European Commission to explore ways so that CETA can address new and evolving challenges, such as those in the digital realm.

We also acknowledge that our IPM took place against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing, unprovoked, and illegal invasion of Ukraine. The impact of that invasion inevitably influenced our discussions. We stand united in support of the Ukrainian people as they continue their valiant struggle for their sovereignty and territorial integrity. In addition, we stress the importance of continued unity and support for Ukraine, including the longer-term financial assistance essential for reconstruction.

The next EU-Canada IPM will take place in Brussels in June 2023.

Finally, we call on Canada and the European Union to hold an EU-Canada Summit as soon as possible, and to include members of the Canadian and European Parliaments in its program.

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For further information:

Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President
Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association - 613-996-4971

Ms. Jessica Kulka, Association Secretary
Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association - 613-992-5155