European Council President António Costa said the EU and Canada would work “in the coming months” on deeper cooperation in areas including trade, digital policy, critical raw materials, financial services and people-to-people ties, during remarks at an official dinner ahead of an EU–Canada summit in Montréal.
Speaking alongside Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney, Costa described the EU and Canada as “close partners and strategic allies” in forums including the G7, NATO and the United Nations, according to his remarks published by the European Council on Friday.
He said the relationship was underpinned by shared commitments to democracy, a rules-based international order and multilateral cooperation.
Costa pointed to existing agreements between the two sides, including the Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a trade deal that reduces barriers between the EU and Canada.
Trade between the EU and Canada has grown by 80% since CETA began to apply, Costa said.
Focus on trade, digital and raw materials
The EU plans to “work intensively together” with Canada on cooperation in trade and digital matters, as well as critical raw materials — minerals and metals used in products such as electronics and renewable energy technologies — according to the remarks.
He also listed financial services and “people-to-people ties” among the areas where the EU and Canada expect closer cooperation.
Costa made the comments during the official dinner ahead of the summit, held in Montréal.
