Canada and the EU plan to announce new deals on digital trade, critical minerals and firefighting planes at an October summit, a draft document seen by AFP Wednesday shows.
Ottawa and Brussels have laid out plans to forge an ever closer alliance as a bulwark against pressure and competition from the United States and China.
Talks in Montreal late next month are expected to put some meat on the bones of EU chief Ursula von der Leyen’s suggestion that Canada could become the 27-nation bloc’s first “associate member.”
A draft joint statement for the summit circulated for input among EU member states envisages deeper co-operation on a wide range of topics, from energy to artificial intelligence.
“Canada and the EU, with our unparalleled trade access, shared values, and complementary economic strengths, can build a deeper and more integrated relationship,” the document reads.
The statement lists several announcements to be made at the summit.
These include a digital trade deal “to allow for faster, lower cost secure digital trade and transactions,” an agreement to strengthen co-operation between competition authorities and a pact allowing the European Investment Bank to put money behind Canadian critical minerals projects.
The document also says the EU and Canada will jointly purchase 50 water bombers made by Canadian firm De Havilland to be deployed against wildfires by 2030.
Ottawa and Brussels will “expand opportunities for Canadians and Europeans to study, work, conduct research and build lasting connections across the Atlantic,” the document adds, noting Canada will launch negotiations towards participating in the EU’s popular Erasmus youth mobility program.
The two parties pledge to deepen co-operation in research, innovation and emerging technologies as well as to “jointly assess opportunities to expand energy connectivity and strengthen long-term energy co-operation.”
A feasibility study on liquified natural gas (LNG) exports to Europe is mentioned in this area.
“The world is rapidly changing with unprecedented geopolitical challenges as well as challenges across trade, energy, technology, climate, and resources,” the statement reads.
“Our partnership may become a model for other countries seeking friendship in a challenging world.”
