Press release - Stronger EU-Canada partnership amid global turmoil

In a report adopted on Wednesday, MEPs call for deeper EU-Canada cooperation to tackle security threats and boost trade amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Given the current turmoil in the international order, the EU must elevate its strategic partnership with Canada to a new level, MEPs say, pointing to shared interests and values.

Addressing security threats

To address security threats such as Russia’s war against Ukraine, hybrid attacks, terrorism, foreign interference and China’s assertiveness and economic coercion, MEPs call for increased cooperation with Canada. They stress the need to implement the security and defence partnership in full, complementing NATO’s efforts through initiatives such as Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and the ReArm Europe plan/Defence Readiness 2030.

The EU and Canada should step up their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, notably through the G7 and the Coalition of the Willing, coordinate sanctions and diplomatic efforts to further isolate Russia, and jointly foster relations with the United States. The report also calls for closer coordination to address challenges posed by China, including in the Western Balkans, stronger engagement in the Indo-Pacific, and joint efforts towards a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Defending multilateralism and promoting trade relations

MEPs highlight the importance of defending multilateralism and safeguarding key institutions such as the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, the World Trade Organisation, NATO, and the G7 and G20 forums. They call for deeper cooperation in the Arctic, express concern over the region’s militarisation, and want joint efforts to safeguard Greenland’s autonomy amid rising geopolitical interest.

The text finally stresses the need to promote the benefits of CETA and strengthen energy cooperation. MEPs urge the 10 member states that have not yet ratified CETA to do so swiftly ahead of the 10-year anniversary, in 2027, of its provisional application.

The resolution was adopted by 482 votes in favour and 108 against, with 42 abstentions.

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Rapporteur Tobias Cremer (S&D, Germany) said: "Canada is perhaps the most European country outside Europe. And today, we can say it is more European than ever, because of our shared strategic interests and the common challenges we face. In a world shaped by a war-addicted Russia, an assertive China, and an increasingly erratic American ally, Europeans and Canadians know: we can only safeguard our interests and our security – in the Arctic, in Ukraine, when it comes to climate change and Greenland - by standing together and deepening our cooperation. It is high time for this close strategic alignment to be translated into a deeper Euro-Canadian alliance."