Europe and Canada formalize security and military cooperation pact
In a significant move aimed at bolstering Canada's contribution to Europe's defence architecture, leaders from both sides have initiated negotiations for Canada's access to the SAFE initiative. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney are spearheading these bilateral talks.
The primary objective of this partnership is to align standards and infrastructure, as well as cooperate in areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum technologies. On digital matters, both parties acknowledge the potential for digital cooperation and have agreed to work towards a Digital Trade Agreement.
The European Union and Canada have also agreed to deepen their cooperation and partnership, as evidenced by the Security and Defence Partnership they have signed. This partnership is expected to facilitate faster and better preparedness, and smarter investments in defence.
President of the EU Council António Costa stated that this partnership is a reflection of their mutual commitment to peace, transatlantic security, and deeper cooperation in building defence capabilities.
In addition to defence cooperation, the leaders have agreed to enhance cooperation on critical raw materials to bolster secure supply chains. This agreement would allow for the channeling of investments in innovative defence projects.
Since its provisional entry into force in 2017, the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada has sustained a 71% surge in trade. CETA has enriched the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP) by €3.2 billion and Canada’s by €1.3 billion annually.
Furthermore, the leaders have initiated a dialogue on industrial policy to explore business cooperation in key areas like clean technology. This collaboration is set to foster innovation and sustainable growth on both sides.
The agreement was reached at the 20th EU-Canada Summit, marking another milestone in the long-standing relationship between the two parties. The partnership is poised to bring about a new era of cooperation, promising mutual benefits and strengthened transatlantic ties.
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