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February 23, 2024
Annual General Meeting
By videoconference
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
December 12, 2023
Meeting with the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Canada
By videoconference
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
Damian Boeselager, a MEP from Germany, explained how the mission of the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) to the United States and Ottawa, at the beginning of November 2023, was very successful. The delegates met with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner of Canada, among others, and found those meetings useful for their work on the creation of an European ethics body.
Regarding the EU-Canada Summit held on 23 and 24 November 2023, Ambassador Campbell discussed, among other things, Canada’s enhanced participation in Horizon Europe. She underscored Canada’s gratitude towards the EU Member States that helped last summer during the worst forest fire season in Canada, to date. Ambassador Campbell noted the commitment from Canada and the EU to work together to fight climate change and the EU’s decision to join the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. She also noted Canada-EU collaboration in the new Digital Partnership to develop together a safer digital environment, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology and online platform governance. Ambassador Campbell mentioned that Canada and the EU were hitting record highs in bilateral trade, thanks to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement. She also mentioned the continued collaboration to help Ukraine and expressed the wish to deepen the collaboration with the EU in Gaza. Mr. Burgsmueller agreed with Ambassador Campbell’s positive description of the Summit’s results. He highlighted the importance of the new Green Alliance and the possibilities for future collaboration on green energy, such as hydrogen.
Francesco Sorbara, President of CAEU, touched on the Green Alliance, the Digital Partnership, the enhanced Canadian participation in Horizon Europe, and the EU’s decision to join the Global Carbon Pricing Challenge. He also talked about the Joint Statement that stemmed from the Summit and the challenges confronting Canada and the EU, such as climate change, the war in Ukraine, the crisis in Gaza, and relations with China. Mr. Sorbara also thanked Mr. Moreno Sánchez for his work as Rapporteur on the implementation of CETA. Senator David Wells, Vice-President of CAEU, discussed the seven themes of the Joint Statement, the war in Ukraine and the crisis in Israel and Palestine. Peter Boehm touched on the war in Ukraine, noting President Zelensky’s presence in Washington, D.C., the conflict in Gaza, and insisted on the importance of Canada and the EU working together on priorities related to the cyber and digital world.
Mr. Boeselager argued that the European Parliament elections that will take place in June 2024 could be a chance for a new impetus, to try to solve certain issues such as visa liberalization. Ambassador Campbell noted that CETA offers the possibility to recognize each others’ credentials, when Canadian professionals wish to work in the EU and vice versa, and that only architects are recognized in that manner so far. Stéphane Bergeron noted the quality of the relations between the EU, Canada, and Quebec, and argued that the Covid-19 pandemic showed the importance of intensifying relations with partners that share the same values and objectives.
All agreed to continue their fruitful collaboration in the future and wished each other happy holidays.
March 9, 2023
Meeting with Hlynur Guðjónsson, Ambassador of Iceland and Urban Ahlin, Ambassador of Sweden
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
Meeting with Hlynur Guðjónsson, Ambassador of Iceland, and Urban Ahlin, the Ambassador of Sweden
Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President, Canada–Europe Parliamentary Association; the Hon. David Wells, Senator; the Hon. Percy Downe, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; Don Davies, M.P.; and Jamie Schmale, M.P.; met, on Parliament Hill, with His Excellency Hlynur Guðjónsson, the Ambassador of Iceland to Canada, and His Excellency Urban Ahlin, the Ambassador of Sweden to Canada.
Ambassador Guðjónsson delivered a presentation on Iceland’s priorities for its Chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers (November 2022–May 2023) and shared details about the Summit of the Council of Europe being hosted in Reykjavík from 16–17 May 2023.
Ambassador Ahlin delivered a presentation on Sweden’s priorities during its presidency of the Council of the European Union (1 January–30 June 2023) and provided an update on Sweden’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization accession process.
The ambassadors’ presentations were followed by a question-and-answer session with association members.
December 17, 2022
41st Interparliamentary Meeting with the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Canada
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
The Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU) hosted the 41st Interparliamentary Meeting (IPM) with the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Canada (D-CA) in Ottawa on 17 December 2022.
The IPM consisted of four panels and question-and-answer sessions on the following subjects: • the Fifth anniversary of the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement; • the regulation of large technology firms; • Canada-EU energy security and climate change cooperation; • global displacement. The CAEU participants were: Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P. and President; the Hon. Tony Loffreda, Senator; the Hon. Victor Oh, Senator; the Hon. Lucie Moncion, Senator; the Hon. David Wells, Senator; Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.; and Marie-France Lalonde, M.P. The D-CA participants were: Stéphanie Yon-Courtin (Chair, France); Damian Boeselager (Germany); Ondrej Kovarík (Czechia); Dorien Rookmaker (Netherlands); and Hildegard Bentele (Germany). The following external participants also took part in the IPM: • Patrick Leblond, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Ottawa; • Achim Hurrelmann, Political Science Professor and Co-Director of Centre for European Studies, Carleton University; • Robert Hage, Fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, former Director General for Europe at Global Affairs Canada; • Brad Callaghan, Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Policy, Planning and Advocacy Directorate at the Competition Bureau; • Vanessa Corkal, Senior Policy Advisor at the International Institute for Sustainable Development; and • Rema Jamous Imseis, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Canada Representative.June 15, 2022
Meeting between Her Excellency Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Canada, and Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
They discussed the outcome of the May 2022 EU-Canada Joint Ministerial Committee meeting; the coverage of space-related procurement by the Canadian Space Agency under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement; Canada and the EU’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; and the upcoming Canada-EU interparliamentary meeting this fall.
May 12, 2022
Meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
By videoconference
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
April 5, 2022
Meeting between Her Excellency Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada and Mr. Francesco Sorbara, MP, President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
In their first meeting since the election of Mr. Sorbara as CAEU President, the Ambassador and Mr. Sorbara discussed Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the impact on the European Union (EU)’s energy security. Mr. Sorbara voiced his understanding of the situation and highlighted the role that Canada can play in helping to meet the EU’s energy needs.
They also discussed the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and its importance in light of current events and its upcoming five-year implementation anniversary.
Finally, they discussed opportunities for further collaboration, including ways in which CAEU could highlight Europe Day on 9 May 2022.
March 28, 2022
Meeting with the Council of the European Union Working Party on Transatlantic Relations (COTRA)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association
The CAEU members were Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President; Hon. David Wells, Senator, Vice President; Hon. Julie Miville-Dechêne, Senator; Hon. Lucie Moncion, Senator; Hon. Lena Metlege Diab, M.P.; Salma Zahid, M.P.; and Stéphane Bergeron, M.P.
The COTRA delegation was headed by Mr. Tomás Reyes Ortega, Chair, and included 11 diplomats from EU member states, and two representatives from the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU and the EU’s European External Action Service. COTRA’s work focuses on EU relations with the United States and Canada and covers a broad range of issues, from cyber, energy and security policy to economics and trade.
Her Excellency, Melita Gabric, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada, chaired the meeting and was accompanied by Ms. Eva Palatova, Head of Political and Public Affairs at the Delegation of the EU to Canada.
The main topics of discussion were Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the impact on the EU’s energy security as well as food security. They also discussed increasing Russian disinformation and misinformation and potential mitigation solutions, especially considering Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Participants also highlighted collaborative defence and security initiatives between the EU and Canada.
Finally, they discussed the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the importance of the ratification process that is now taking place in each EU member state.
March 15, 2022
Meeting between Mr. Francesco Sorbara, M.P., President of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association and Mrs. Stéphanie Yon-Courtin, MEP, Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with Canada
By videoconference
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
The main topic of discussion was future plans for renewed parliamentary cooperation between the two associations. Ms. Yon-Courtin congratulated Mr. Sorbara on his election as CAEU President and expressed D-CA’s desire to travel to Canada in September 2022 for the annual interparliamentary meeting (IPM). They also discussed a list of topics that could be part of the IPM’s agenda, including a recognition of the five-year implementation anniversary of the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
Other topics of discussion included recent developments related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the Canadian Parliament, and the importance of people-to-people ties. Finally, plans were made for a future meeting to finalize the details for the upcoming IPM.
February 10, 2022
Meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
By videoconference
Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association (CAEU)
Members reported on the priorities of the Arctic regions of their respective countries including:
• sustainable economic development to benefit Arctic residents, along with increased investments;
• the need for mental health services in remote communities;
• climate change and its impacts on all aspects of life in the Arctic; and
• the development or release of country-specific Arctic strategies.
SCPAR members provided an update on the COVID 19 pandemic. Vaccination campaigns in Arctic regions seem successful in most countries, with high rates of fully vaccinated residents. Common challenges experienced by Arctic residents included: social isolation and financial burdens due to restrictions limiting gatherings and the operation of businesses and movement between communities and countries, particularly for Indigenous peoples; and an increase in the need for mental health services.
The next meeting of SCPAR is planned for 12 May 2022 to potentially be hosted in Washington D.C., United States.
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