EU-Canada

Canada has been a vital trading partner for the European Union for a long time. Almost a quarter of Canadian investment abroad is in the EU, and equally almost a quarter of foreign investment in Canada comes from the EU. The EU and Canada concluded a Framework agreement for Commercial and Economic Cooperation, in 1976.

The decision to launch negotiations on a EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement was taken at the EU-Canada summit, on 6 May 2009, in Prague. The European Services Forum has closely monitored these negotiations since then. From our point of view, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which Canada concluded with Mexico and the USA, in 1994, should serve as an example for the agreement to be achieved between the EU and Canada.

Both the EU and Canada support an open international trading system regulated and negotiated within the framework of the World Trade Organisation.

For further details see the following links:

• Press release: Canada-European Union: negotiations toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement
• ESF Info Letter on the launch of the EU-Canada negotiations (April 2009)
• Ministry on Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
• Canada Europe Roundtable for Business
• Final NAFTA Text, Part Five on Investment, Services and related matters
• Assessing the Costs and Benefits of a Closer EU-Canada Economic Partnership – A Joint Study by the European Commission and the Government of Canada (Summary) (French Version)
• Joint report Canada-EU (2009)
• EU-Canada Summit Declaration of 6 May 2009 and the European Commission’s press release of 27 April 2009.
• The European Commission’s DG Trade launched a questionnaire on the EU-Canada negotiations, which was to be filled in by 6 July 2009.
• ESF presentation at the CEPS Event “The new Economic and Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada” on 29 June 2009, mentioning the priorities for the European services industry.
• Presse Article on CEPS event with Quebec Premier Charest.