Communication from the Commission on EU-Canada Relations
Date: 2003-05-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Canada, EU relations, bilateral relations, common foreign and security policy, cooperation policy, economic cooperation, framework agreement, revision of an agreement

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 13.5.2003
COM (2003) 266 final

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

on EU-Canada Relations

1.

INTRODUCTION

1.1.

Context

In  their  joint  statement  at  the  EU-Canada  Summit  in  Ottawa  on  19  December  2002,
Commission President Romano Prodi, then President of the Council Anders Fogh Rasmussen
and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced a  comprehensive review of  relations
between the EU and Canada for the following year, with a view to further strengthening and
deepening  of  ties  between  the  EU  and  Canada.  This  Communication  is  the  European
Commission's first contribution to that review.

Much has happened since EU-Canada relations were last reviewed in 1996. Since then the EU
Treaty  has  undergone  two  major  revisions  and  the  European  single  currency  has  become  a
reality. Far-reaching changes are also on the horizon, with the impending enlargement of the
European  Union,  and  further  changes  to  the  Treaty  likely  following  the  publication  of  the
conclusions of the Convention and the subsequent Inter-Governmental Conference. A review
of EU-Canada relations at this juncture is necessary in order to adapt the  relationship to the
many changes that have taken place in the last decade, and to put the relationship on a firm
footing for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

The  bonds  that  tie  Europe  and  Canada  remain  uniquely  strong.  In  addition  to  their  long-
standing  historical  and  cultural  links,  Europeans  and  Canadians  share  common  values  that
underpin  the  fundamental  nature  of  their  societies  in  the  21st  century.  Both  in  the  way  in
which we address the challenges facing our societies from within, and in our dealings with the
rest of the world, European and Canadian approaches are founded upon a shared set of values.
Trade and economic issues still play a central role in EU-Canada relations. But the scope of
EU-Canada  co-operation  has  moved  far  beyond  the  strictly  trade  and  economic  sphere  into
fields that were not foreseen when the 1976 EC-Canada Framework Agreement was signed.

Co-ordinating  our  actions,  both  domestically  and  internationally,  can  bring  added  value  to
both  the  European  Union  and  Canada,  as  well  as  for  the  wider  international  community.
Nowhere is this more true than in the field of international relations, where both Canada and
the  EU  take  seriously  their  roles  in  defence  of  the  multilateral  system  and  the  international
rule  of  law.  The  EU  values  highly  Canada's  continued  commitment  to  strong  multilateral
institutions,  which  finds  concrete  expression  in  Canada’s  accomplished  tradition  of  peace-
keeping and in the presence of Canadian aid workers across the world. This Communication
seeks  to  examine  ways  in  which  the  EU  and  Canada  can  work  more  closely  and
systematically together to reinforce the relevance of multilateral institutions at a particularly
challenging time.

The  EU  and  Canada  are  determined  to  continue  to  strengthen  the  economic  ties  that  bind
them, and to enhance trade and investment flows between them. To this end, leaders agreed at
the  19  December  2002  Ottawa  Summit  to  begin  work  on  a  new  type  of  forward-looking,
wide-ranging  bilateral  trade  and  investment  enhancement  agreement.  This  Communication
sets out some preliminary thinking on the potential contents and scope of such an agreement.
In  addition,  Canada  and  the  EU  agreed  at  the  December  summit  to  intensify  our  bilateral
regulatory dialogue and to work towards a new framework in this field.

2

2.

THE EU AND CANADA WORKING TOGETHER

2.1.

The Evolution of EU-Canada Co-operation

The European Community's relationship with Canada dates back to 1959, when an Agreement
was  concluded  between  the  Government  of  Canada  and  the  European  Atomic  Energy
Community  for  co-operation  in  the  peaceful  uses  of  atomic  energy  (Euratom's  oldest
international  agreement).  Then  in  1976  the  Framework  Agreement  for  Commercial  and
Economic Co-operation between the European Communities and Canada was concluded: the
Community's  first  co-operation  agreement  with  an  industrialised  country.  In  the  years  since
then, the EU’s co-operation with Canada has spread far beyond the limited scope of the 1976
Framework Agreement, despite the fact  that this agreement  still  provides  the principal legal
basis  for  the  formal  relationship  between  the  EU  and  Canada.  In  order  to  facilitate  co-
operation  across  a  far  broader  range  of  policy  areas,  political  declarations  were  adopted  in
19901 and again in 1996.2

The EU and Canada now meet in a variety of fora to take forward their co-operative agenda.
Twice  a  year  meetings  take  place  at  Foreign  Minister  level,  as  well  as  regular  Summit
meetings between the Presidency of the European Council, the President of the Commission
and the Prime Minister of Canada. The annual meeting of the Joint Co-operation Committee
(JCC)  established  by  the  1976  Framework  Agreement  meets  back-to-back  with  informal
meetings of senior officials in the fields of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA). In additiona, bi-
annual  consultations  are  held  between  the  EU  political  directors  troika  and  the  Canadian
political  director,3  as  are  regular  meetings  between  Canadian  officials  dealing  with  security
and  defence  issues  and  an  EU  troika  representing  the  Political  and  Security  Committee.
Meetings also take place between Canadian and EU troika experts within specific EU Council
working  group  formations,  and  frequent  expert-level  contacts  take  place  on  a  range  of
regulatory and sectoral policy issues.

The issues dealt with in these various fora  range  across the three pillars of EU competence:
they  include  bilateral  trade  issues,  sectoral  policy  issues,  scientific  and  technological  co-
operation, competition matters, regulatory co-operation, transport and environment policy co-
operation,  asylum  and  migration;  working  together  for  peace  and  stability  in  the  Balkans,
Afghanistan,  sub-Saharan  Africa;  and  establishing  police  co-operation  and  exploring
possibilities  for  closer  judicial  criminal  co-operation.  It  is  increasingly  difficult,  if  not
impossible,  to  keep  co-operation  under  the  various  pillars  distinct,  given  the  cross-cutting
issues that demand attention both in Brussels and in Ottawa. This trend has accelerated in the
period  since  the  terrorist  attacks  on  the  United  States  of  11  September  2001,  with  foreign
policy  and  justice  and  home  affairs  considerations  imposing  themselves  on  a  number  of
traditional ‘First Pillar’ activities, including trade, transport policy and data privacy.

There  is  a  growing  need  for  improved  co-ordination  of  our  relations  with  Canada.  We  also
need  to  adapt  the  structure  of  our  dialogue  with  Canada  in  order  to  maximise  the  mutual
benefits derived from our co-operation. It is sometimes argued that our dialogue at present is
‘top heavy’, with too many meetings at senior level which take place amid an atmosphere of
great  good  will  but  which  result  in  relatively  little  in  terms  of  concrete  collaboration.  The
profound mutual respect that exists between the EU and Canada, and the community of values

1

2

3

"Declaration on European Community-Canada Relations"
"Joint Political Declaration on EU-Canada Relations"
On occasion this meeting has been held back to back with the JCC and the informal meeting on JHA.

3

                                                
so often cited, gives rise to a high degree of agreement across the bilateral agenda. There is a
need to harness this agreement more effectively, so that it translates into concrete advantages
and  achievements  for  both  the  EU  and  Canada  when  we  work  together.  Rather  than  bring
sides together to note their agreement, Europeans and Canadians need to work together in a
more operational and less formal fashion in order to take advantage of common approaches to
issues, both domestic and in the field of external relations.

In 1996, the EU and Canada adopted a Joint Action Plan, with four headings for co-operation:
economic  and  trade  relations;  foreign  policy  and  security  issues;  transnational  issues;  and
fostering links.4 Much has been achieved under the Action Plan, from resolving bilateral trade
issues, to launching joint projects, to co-operating in third countries. The Action Plan provides
a flexible framework for co-operation across all fields, also in the future. Without an effective
structure  to  manage  it,  though,  the  Action  Plan  is  little  more  than  a  convenient  way  of
bringing a diverse collection of joint activities under a single heading. At present, the Action
Plan reflects potential for co-operation between the EU and Canada, but it does not guide it.
In order to realise the potential of the Action Plan, and by extension the full potential of the
EU-Canada relationship, a guiding hand is needed.

2.2.

Strengthening Co-operation on International Issues

2.2.1.

Strengthening Co-operation under the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy

Recent events  on  the international  stage  have  focused  attention  on  one  area  of  co-operation
under  the  Action  Plan  in  particular:  strengthening  co-operation  on  global  issues.  Both  the
European  Union  and  Canada  are  committed  to  strong  multilateral  institutions  and  the
international rule of law. The European Union values highly the role played by Canada in the
creation  of  the  International  Criminal  Court;  in  the  negotiation  of  the  1997  Ottawa
Convention  banning  anti-personnel  landmines;  in  the  July  2001  UN  conference  on  small
arms;  and  in  its  pursuit  of  human  security  across  the  world  (exemplified  by  Canada’s
participation  in  the  EU  Police  Mission  in  Bosnia-Herzegovina,  and  by  its  ongoing
commitment  to  the  International  Security  Assistance  Force  in  Afghanistan).  The  European
Union, like Canada, attaches great importance to the role of the United Nations in maintaining
world  peace  and  the  international  rule  of  law.  In  recent  years,  there  has  been  a  high
correlation  in  the  voting  record  of  EU  Member  States  and  Canada  at  the  United  Nations.
During the current session of the UN General Assembly, on proposals for resolutions where
EU Member States have formed a consensus, Canada has voted with EU Member States 96%
of  the  time  (50  out  of  52  resolutions).  Where  EU  Member  States  were  not  able  to  form  a
consensus, Canada has voted in line with the majority of EU Member States on the majority
of occasions (ten out of sixteen such occasions).5 The EU also values its regular and close co-
operation with Canada in the OSCE, where they share the same views on most issues.

New developments in international affairs, most notably the events surrounding the entry into
force  of  the  Rome  Statute  creating  the  International  Criminal  Court,  and  other  occasions
where the position of the United Nations has been undermined, have shown the importance of
the EU and Canada acting together to defend multilateral institutions. Together, the European
Union  and  Canada  set  an  important  example  for  third  countries  to  follow.  By  working
together, the EU and Canada can also influence the debate in other third countries.

4

5

http://www.delcan.cec.eu.int/english/2C2.cfm
Votes  cast  during  57th  UN  General  Assembly,  at  time  of  writing.  Source:  European  Commission’s
Delegation to the United Nations.

4

                                                
As the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy matures, the importance of EU-Canada co-
operation and co-ordination will continue to grow. The emergence of a European Security and
Defence Policy (ESDP) has brought an important new field of co-operation to the EU-Canada
relationship. This area is a prime candidate for closer, more systematic and action-oriented co-
ordination between the EU and Canada.

Since  the  creation  of  the  Joint  Action  Plan  in  1996,  the  EU  and  Canada  have  undertaken
efforts to co-ordinate their foreign and security policies. They have issued joint statements on
Small  Arms  and  Anti-Personnel  Mines  (December  1999)6;  on  Human  Security:  Peace-
Building  and  Conflict  Prevention  (June  2000)7;  on  Defence  and  Security  (December  2000);
on  Non-Proliferation,  Arms  Control  and  Disarmament  (June  2001);  and  on  Cooperation  in
UN Fora (June 2001). Given their common interest in promoting multilateralism, the EU and
Canada  need  to  move  beyond  issuing  joint  statements  –  as  important  as  these  are  in
establishing a common voice on the international stage – and develop an operational, day-to-
day method of working together to deliver concrete results. For example, where both the EU
and Canada plan to make political representations to third countries on an issue where there is
common  ground,  it  makes  sense  that  Canadian  and  EU  diplomats  should  remain  in  close
contact to co-ordinate their moves. Such close co-ordination at  an operational  level  requires
systematic and regular contacts between diplomats.

2.2.2.

Strengthening Co-operation in the area of Development

Development  co-operation  is  a  central  element  in  the  EU’s  external  policy.  Development
policy  is  an  area  where  the  EU  and  Canada  share  the  idea  of  a  new  global  framework:  the
Development Goals on poverty reduction, access to primary education, health and other basic
services,  as  well  as  sustainable  development,  contained  in  the  UN  Millennium  Declaration.
The EU welcomes the role played by Canada in using its chairmanship of the G8 to launch
the Africa Action Plan in 2002, as well as its contribution to the successful World Summit for
Sustainable  Development  in  Johannesburg  in  2002,  and  the  International  Conference  on
Financing for Development in Monterey that preceded it.

Development issues have been singled out by successive EU-Canada Summits as being a high
common  priority.  At  the  December  2000  Summit  both  sides  issued  a  statement  on
Development Co-operation. This has led to an improved EU-Canada dialogue, in particular on
issues linked to the UN Conferences, NEPAD, Afghanistan and to the level and effectiveness
of  aid.  The  task  is  now  to  translate  the  results  of  our  dialogue  into  operational  reality,
including the exchange of staff and the production of common assessments.

The EU and Canada,  along with  other donors, are changing the way that  their  development
assistance  is  programmed  and  implemented.  This  includes  focusing  much  more  on  local
ownership  of  strategies  and  interventions  in  developing  countries  and  a  partnership-based
approach. We are also shifting away from stand-alone projects to sector-based programming
and  budgetary  support.  The  EU  and  Canada  both  favour  the  accelerated  development  of
harmonised procedures as a key prerequisite for sector-wide programming. There is a need to
maintain the momentum gained in  this regard  through the work of the  OECD  Development
Assistance  Committee  (DAC)'s  Task  Force  on  Donor  Practices.  Canada  and  the  EU  should
co-operate  in  the  international  arena  with  a  view  to  achieving  concrete  progress  in  the
harmonisation of donor practices.

6

7

http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/canada/summit_12_99/small_arms.htm
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/external_relations/canada/summit_06_00/hum_sec_stat.htm

5

                                                
The EU and Canada have also committed to implement the DAC's recommendation to untie
aid to all Least Developed Countries. The Commission will work with Canada to examine the
scope for moving beyond the DAC's recommendation.

2.3.

Enhancing our Economic & Trade Relations

Canada  and  the  EU  have  a  good  and  long-standing  trading  relationship,  based  on  a  shared
belief  that  trade  is  one  of  the  keys  to  increased  prosperity  and  welfare,  not  only  for  our
societies  but  also  for  the  international  community  at  large.  While  differences  of  view  over
certain  specific  issues  are  inevitable  from  time  to  time  between  two  such  active  trading
partners, our underlying approach to trade remains the same: Canada and the EU are strongly
committed  to  trade liberalisation based  on  a  strong  values-based  multilateral  trading  system
for the benefit of both developed and developing countries.

Close bilateral co-operation between the  EU  and  Canada in  the  WTO helped  to  achieve the
successful  launch  of  a  new  round  of  negotiations  at  Doha.  Canada  and  the  EU  now  accord
high priority to the successful conclusion of negotiations in all areas by the end of 2004, as
well as the provision of the appropriate assistance to developing countries to ensure that not
only can they participate fully in the negotiations, but that they can fully implement the results
and benefit from the outcome in terms of real integration into the world economy.

The  trade  and  investment  relationship  between  Canada  and  the  EU  has  experienced
significant improvement over the  years, both  in  “quantitative”  and  “qualitative” terms.8 The
EU has for many years been Canada’s second most important trading partner. The EU is also
the second source  of  foreign investment in Canada. For over  twenty-five  years, the  EU  and
Canada  have  been  working  hard,  both  bilaterally  and  in  a  multilateral  context,  to  liberalise
transatlantic trade. As a result, traditional barriers to trade such as tariffs play an increasingly
minor role in our bilateral trade. The EU and Canada now need to turn their attention to other
remaining obstacles.

The  EU-Canada  Trade  Initiative  (ECTI)  was  established  in  1998  to  enlarge  upon  the  trade
chapter  of  the  1996  Joint  Action  Plan,  and  to  promote  closer  co-operation  on  both  bilateral
and  multilateral  trade  issues.  While  ECTI  addresses  a  wide  range  of  issues,  including
regulatory  issues,  intellectual  property  rights,  competition,  and  government  procurement,
sufficient progress has not been achieved in all these areas, and further work needs to be done
in  order  to  ensure  full  implementation  of  existing  agreements.  A  new  impulse  is  therefore
needed to take the economic relationship between the EU and Canada into the 21st century.

In  December  2001,  the  Canadian  Government  and  the  European  Commission  agreed  to
conduct parallel business surveys in order to identify remaining barriers to bilateral trade and
investment,  and  the  appropriate  means  to  remove  them.  Both  surveys  indicated  that  both
European  and  Canadian  business  communities  perceive  each  other’s  markets  as  being
globally  open.  These  surveys  also  confirmed  that  the  major  impediments  to  EU-CAN  trade

8

Bilateral trade in goods has nearly tripled since 1980, with an increase of more than 40% between 1998
and 2001 (from 6.8 billion ECU in 1980 to 18 billion euros in 2001). Trade in services follows the same
trend, with an increase of 39% between 1998 and 2000 (from €10.1 billion to €14.1 billion). Two-way
investment  has  also  experienced  a  strong  growth  and  has  become  the  most  dynamic  element  of  the
transatlantic  relationship.  While  its  economic  relationship  with  the  United  States  easily  overshadows
Canada’s other trading relationships, accounting for 79% of Canada's trade in 2002 (compared to 7.5%
for the EU), trade and investment flows between the EU and Canada are far from negligible. The EU is
currently the second investor in Canada after the US. (Sources: Eurostat; Canadian Government)

6

                                                
and  investment  flows  are  related  to  regulations,  traditional  market  access  barriers  such  as
tariffs and quotas playing only a minor role.

 The  shared  objective  of  strengthening  the  bilateral  trade  and  investment  relationship  was
confirmed by the  commitment  given  by Canada and the EU at    the December 2002 Ottawa
Summit to work on the design of “a new type of forward-looking, wide-ranging bilateral trade
and  investment  enhancement  agreement."  This  agreement  will  seek  to  respond  to  the  new
challenges we will face  in  the twenty-first century  with an  agreement on  bilateral  trade  and
investment  between  two  open  and  developed  economies,  going  beyond  traditional  market
access barriers. Such  an agreement,  in  combination with the  anticipated  results  of  the  Doha
Development  Agenda  (DDA),  would  have  much  more  to  offer  than  a  classical  free  trade
agreement.

With  the  objective  of  determining  the  "architecture"  of  the  agreement  (i.e.,  the  areas  to  be
addressed and broad objectives for each of those areas) by the next EU-Canada summit to be
held  in  Ottawa  (December  2003),  the  European  Commission  considers  that  the  Trade  and
Investment Enhancement Agreement (TIEA) should address regulatory issues related to trade
in  goods  and  in  services  and  market  access  issues  not  addressed  in  DDA  negotiations
(including access to government procurement), as well as so-called "new generation" issues.
Given the increasingly major role played by investment in the bilateral relationship, measures
to facilitate two-way investment should also be envisaged.

The  EU  and  Canada  have  already  developed  a  close  working  relationship  on  regulatory
issues, with the conclusion of several agreements (including the 1997 Customs Co-operation
Agreement, the 1998 Mutual Recognition Agreement, the 1999 Veterinary Agreement and the
1999 Competition Agreement).

Given  that  our  respective  business  surveys  have  identified  regulatory  barriers  as  being  the
foremost  remaining  impediments  to  EU-Canada  trade  and  investment,  Canada  and  the  EU
agreed  at  the  Ottawa  summit  in  December  2002  to  intensify  our  regulatory  dialogue  and  to
work towards a new framework in this field. Both Canada and the EU want to find ways for
regulators  to  co-operate  when  developing  technical  regulations  that  may  have  an  impact  on
trade.  To  this  end,  we  are  preparing  an  Action  Plan  for  regulatory  co-operation.  The
Commission  plans to host a  keynote  event  to  relaunch  the  regulatory  dialogue  with  Canada
during  2003,  involving  representatives  of  stakeholders.  This  dialogue  will  allow  European
and Canadian regulators to benefit from each others’ experience and ideas in producing better
regulations,  while  at  the  same  time  avoiding  unnecessary  regulatory  differences.  The  TIEA
would ultimately build upon the outcome of this intensified regulatory co-operation.

2.4.

Strengthening other aspects of EU-Canada Co-operation

Political  co-operation  between  the  EU  and  Canada  has  spread  across  the  range  of  policies
covered by the Treaties. In addition to the Common Foreign and Security Policy, three other
policy fields show particular potential for enhanced action-oriented co-operation between the
EU and Canada: justice and home affairs; the environment; and education and culture.

The  1996  Action  Plan  significantly  expanded  the  scope  of  EU-Canada  co-operation  in  the
field  of  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  (JHA),  identifying  four  areas  for  joint  work:  migration
and  asylum;  the  fight  against  terrorism;  combating  international  organised  crime,  drug
trafficking and ‘cybercrime’; and co-operation in legal matters. In December 2000 in Ottawa
the  EU  and  Canada  issued  a  Joint  Statement  on  co-operation  in  justice  and  home  affairs,
building on the 1996 Action Plan and strengthening further their collaboration in this field. In

7

the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the US of 11 September 2001, justice and home affairs
co-operation  has  moved  still  further  up  the  agenda.  Negotiations  on  a  Europol-Canada  co-
operation  agreement,  including  the  transfer  of  personal  data,  are  in  their  final  phase.  Also,
both sides  have  agreed  to  explore  the  possibilities  of  EU-Canada  agreements  on  extradition
and  mutual  legal  assistance.  In  this  field,  the  EU  and  Canada  share  similar  concerns  and
priorities.  While  there  is  naturally  a  special  emphasis  at  present  on  co-operating  with  each
other and with third countries in the fight against terrorism, the EU and Canada recognise that
this  fight  must  be  conducted  with  full  respect  for  the  rule  of  law,  human  rights  and
fundamental  freedoms  as  these  are  the  defining  features  of  the  societies  we  are  striving  to
protect. In this respect we will pay particularly close attention to issues of data privacy.9

Asylum and migration are also areas where the EU and Canada have an interest in looking at
ways to intensify  their  dialogue and  co-operation. With further  globalisation,  movements  of
people across the globe and between Europe and North America are expected to increase over
coming  years.  The  successful  management  of  these  movements  will  require  intensified
international  co-operation.  At  the  same  time  there  are  significant  challenges  facing  the
international protection of refugees. The Agenda for Protection, as approved by the UN High
Commission  for  Refugees'  Executive  Committee  in  autumn  2002,  presents  important
guidelines for the strengthening of policies which are relevant to both the EU and Canada. As
the  EU  works  to  establish  a  common  policy  in  the  areas  of  asylum  and  migration,  Canada
withits strong tradition in these fields, including the integration of immigrants into Canadian
society, is a key partner for dialogue and co-operation.

In the field of Justice and Home Affairs, the Commission will:

– 

– 

– 

explore  the  scope  for  deepening  the  EC-Canada  dialogue  on  migration  and  asylum
and look for ways to promote concrete co-operation;

contribute  to  the  conclusion  of  negotiations  on  a  Europol-Canada  co-operation
agreement at the earliest opportunity, including the transfer of personal data;

actively  support  work  to  assess  the  potential  for  EU-Canada  agreements  on
extradition and mutual legal assistance.

The  preservation of the environment  was a  key theme  of the 1996 Action  Plan.  In  recent
years the environment has moved from being primarily a domestic political issue to become a
central preoccupation of the international community. Canada has been  a  crucial partner for
the EU in pressing the case for international action to combat climate change and other crucial
environmental issues facing the world.  The  European  Commission  congratulates  Canada  on
its ratification of the Kyoto Protocol10 and looks forward to working with Canada to ensure its
success. The EU will also work closely with Canada to move the global fight against climate
change  forward  into  its  next  phase:  ensuring  that  all  developed  countries  shoulder  their
responsibilities to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and working to bring developing countries
also  on  board.  Both  the  EU  and  Canada  are  committed  to  the  success  of  the  Doha

9

10

In December 2001 the European Commission issued a Decision on the adequate protection of personal
data  provided  by  the  Canadian  Personal  Information  Protection  and  Electronic  Documents  Act
(Commission  Decision  2002/2/EC  of  20.12.2001,  OJ  L  2/13  of  4.1.2002).  This  Decision  allows  EU
operators to send personal data to recipients  in  Canada  who  are  subject  to  this  Canadian  Act  without
additional  safeguards  being  needed  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  EU  Data  Protection  Directive
95/46/EC.
December 2002

8

                                                
Development Round of multilateral trade negotiations, and to the integration of environmental
considerations into the multilateral trading system. The EU and Canada also share a particular
concern for the environmental challenges facing northern regions, notably increasing levels of
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and nuclear waste. The European Commission recognises
the  important  role  played  by  Canada  in  the  negotiations  which  led  to  the  adoption  of  the
Stockholm  Convention  on  Persistent  Organic  Pollutants  in  May  2001.  The  sustainable
exploitation,  management  and  conservation  of  fisheries  also  constitutes  a  common  goal  for
the EU and Canada.

There is a need to intensify our international co-operation with Canada also in the field of the
environment,  and  to  bring  our  collective  resources  to  bear  upon  the  problem.  As  well  as
working together on the international stage, the EU and Canada consult bilaterally on a range
of  environmental  issues.  Regular  high  level  consultations  on  the  environment  take  place
between the European Commission and Canada (most recently in July 2002).

In the field of the environment, the Commission will:

– 

– 

– 

– 

work with Canada in international fora to maintain the issue of climate change at the
top of the international agenda;

work  more  closely  with  Canada  in  the  implementation  of  the  commitments  of  the
World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002;

work with Canada to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into the
multilateral trading system under the Doha Round;

work  with  Canada  in  international  fora,  notably  the  North  West  Atlantic  Fisheries
Organisation, to ensure the sustainable exploitation, management and conservation of
the world's fisheries.

Another field of political co-operation to which this Communication seeks to bring particular
attention is the field of education, culture and youth. This is an area in which both the EU
and  Canada  have  long  worked  together,  beginning  with  the  1990  Political  Declaration,
followed by the 1995 EU-Canada Agreement on Higher Education and Training (renewed in
2000), and a further reference in the 1996 Joint Declaration on EU-Canada Relations, as well
as  a  chapter  in  the  Joint  Action  Plan  and  regular  references  to  education  and  culture  in
subsequent  Summit  statements.  To  date,  the  key  instrument  for  EU-Canada  co-operation  in
the  field  of  education  has  been  the  Co-operation  Programme  in  Higher  Education  and
Training established under the Agreement, and through which the European Commission has
issued grants for a number of joint projects between European and Canadian higher education
establishments.  This  programme  runs  until  the  end  of  2005;  the  European  Community  and
Canada  should  therefore  begin  considering  now  the  future  of  the  Agreement  after  2005.
Separately,  under  a  1999  call  for  proposals,  the  European  Commission  financed  the
establishment of four Institutes of European Studies in Canadian Universities.11 Similar grants
will be awarded to five such institutions in the autumn of 2003 under a new call for proposals.
In  addition,  the  Commission  has  actively  supported  the  creation  of  Jean  Monnet  Chairs  in
Canadian  Universities.  In  1998  the  European  Commission  also  launched  a  training

11

Two  joint  projects  (in  Montreal  by  McGill  and  Université  de  Montréal,  and  in  Toronto  by  York  and
University  of  Toronto)  and  a  further  two  at  the  University  of  British  Columbia  in  Vancouver  and  in
Ottawa at Carleton University.

9

                                                
programme to provide internships for young Europeans in small or medium-sized companies
in Canada (‘Acadia’). The European Commission attaches great importance to fostering links
between young people as the key ingredient for future good relations between the people of
Europe and Canada. To this end, European Commission President Romano Prodi announced
his intention  at  the  December 2002 EU-Canada  Summit in  Ottawa  to  broaden  opportunities
for exchanges of young people between the EU and Canada. The EU also looks forward to the
participation  of  Canadian  students  in  the  Erasmus  World  Programme  once  it  is  launched  in
2004,  as  well  as  the  participation  of  Canadian  educational  institutions  in  partnership  with
participating institutions in the EU.

With respect to culture, the EU and Canada have unique ties of history and language. The EU
and Canada attach particular importance to the diversity of cultures, in an age where cultural
diversity  is  increasingly  threatened  by  globalisation.  Since  1998  the  European  Commission
and Canadian authorities have worked together to explore the potential for co-operation in the
cultural and audiovisual fields. Also, there is a need for the EU and Canada to reinforce their
co-operation in multilateral fora to ensure that the value of cultural diversity is recognised and
safeguarded.In the field of education, culture and youth, the European Commission will:

– 

– 

– 

– 

explore ways to broaden exchanges between young people in the EU and Canada;

work  together  with  Canada  to  promote  the  recognition  of  cultural  diversity  within
multilateral fora;

work  with  Canada  to  establish  the  future  of  the  co-operation  programme  in  higher
education and training after 2005;

continue to explore the possibility of developing co-operation in the audiovisual and
cultural  fields that  complement  current  bilateral  activities  implemented  by  Member
States and where Community action provides a European added value.

Two  further  fields  of  co-operation  to  which  this  Communication  wishes  to  bring  particular
attention are transport and scientific and technological co-operation.

Transport issues continue to feature high on the EU-Canada agenda. In the field of aviation,
a  recent  judgement  by  the  European  Court  of  Justice  makes  it  essential  to  amend  bilateral
aviation  agreements  between  EU  Member  States  and  their  trading  partners  such  as  Canada.
This is necessary in order to reflect the development of Community legislation and the need
to open the traffic rights available under bilateral agreements to all Community air carriers on
a  non-discriminatory  basis.  The  Community  and  Canada  will  need  to  consider  how  these
adjustments can be made and to what extent this reform of our air transport relations should
be used as an opportunity to progress towards more open and integrated transatlantic market.
In  the  field  of  air  transport  security,  the  EU  and  Canada  are  working  together  to  promote
international measures to facilitate the travel of legitimate passengers.

With respect to the GALILEO satellite navigation programme, Canada has shown an interest
in  participating  in  the  GALILEO  Joint  Undertaking  through  its  national  space  agency.
Canada's involvement in the programme would potentially go beyond that of a 'Cooperating
State'  with  the  European  Space  Agency.  Canada  is  a  participant  in  the  Galileo  studies
managed by the European Commission and the European Space Agency.

10

In  the  field  of  maritime  transport  services,  the  EU  and  Canada  share  major  carriers  and
shippers interests, which significantly affect their bilateral trade, transatlantic trade and global
sea-borne trade in general. To this end the Commission will co-operate closely with Canada
in  order  to  implement  current  and  future  shipping  policy  objectives.  In  particular,  the
Commission will:

– 

– 

– 

work with Canada to promote maritime safety and protect the maritime environment,
by co-ordinating positions for future legislative action on a bilateral level and within
the relevant international fora;

work with Canada to enhance maritime transport security, by co-operating to ensure
the  strict  application  of  globally  agreed  security  measures  without  negatively
affecting the international sea-borne trade;

work with Canada to liberalise global maritime services still further and to ensure a
free  and  fair  competition  environment  in  the  maritime  transport  sector,  by  co-
ordinating positions within relevant multilateral fora (notably the WTO (“Friends of
Maritime”) and OECD) and by providing concrete support to the Doha Development
Agenda in respect to maritime transport services.

The  EU  and  Canada  enjoy  a  close  co-operative  relationship  in  the  field  of  Science  and
Technology  (S&T).  Potential  exists  nevertheless  to  improve  our  co-ordination  of  related
policies and objectives. The Agreement on scientific and technological co-operation signed by
the  EU  and  Canada  in  1996  (amended  in  1998)  continues  to  provide  a  firm  platform  for
dialogue  in  this  area.  However  subsequent  EU-Canada  Summits  have  called  for  "a  more
strategic approach" to the S&T relationship to focus  efforts  on named  thematic areas of co-
operation. At their Summit in Toledo on 8 May 2002, the EU and Canada agreed "to intensify
their efforts … to bring science policies closer to our citizens and to put science at the heart of
policy making." The Commission therefore intends to:

– 

– 

– 

12

work with Canada to hold thematic workshops to examine areas of collaboration in
those fields referred to in the Summit Declaration of 19 December 2002;12

encourage  Canada  to  facilitate  the  funding  of  Canadian  members  of  successful
consortia  under  the  Community's  Sixth  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and
Development;

explore  with  Canada  the  best  means  of  assisting  Canadians  and  Europeans  to  gain
access  to  research  and  development  funding  both  from  the  EU  and  from  the
Government of Canada.

Environment,  including  climate  change,  environmental  monitoring,  sustainable  development,  and
resource  management;  biotechnology,  specifically  genomics  and  health  applications;  the  information
society; food safety, including risk analysis associated with food-related diseases and allergies, effective
risk management strategies along the production chain and methods of analysis, detection and control;
nanotechnologies  and  nanosciences,  multifunctional  materials,  processes  and  products;  and  space
including its key facilitation role in earth observation, telecommunications, and navigation.

11

                                                
3.

EQUIPPING THE EU-CANADA RELATIONSHIP FOR ACTION

The  EU-Canada  relationship  has  sometimes  been  accused  of  failing  to  deliver  results  in
keeping  with  the  scale  of  its  ambition.  Certainly,  there  is  scope  for  the  EU  and  Canada  to
achieve more together on the international stage, given the level of coherence in European and
Canadian  interests  and  values.  The  European  Commission’s  priorities  for  cooperation  with
Canada have  been set out above under Section 2 of this Communication.  However,  if  these
priorities are to be translated into concrete results, the EU and Canada need to put structures
in place to manage their cooperation more effectively. Meetings at high level must  be more
objective-oriented,  while  contacts  at  lower  level  should  be  more  frequent,  less  formal  and
more delivery-oriented.

From  the  Commission’s  perspective,  a  number  of  options  present  themselves  for  upgrading
the structure of EU-Canada relations:

3.1.

Structure of Meetings

In place of the current multiplicity of fora, it makes sense to bring the overall responsibility
for EU-Canada relations under a single roof. Rather than focus upon an annual meeting of the
Joint  Co-operation  Committee,  back  to  back  with  JHA  and  CFSP  meetings,  to  cover  the
whole  ground  of  EU-Canada  relations  in  a  single  round  of  high-level  contacts,  the
Commission favours more frequent contacts at expert level, both formal and informal, to take
forward  the  objectives  established  by  politicians  and  senior  officials.  The  Commission
therefore proposed the creation of a Steering Group at working level to ensure the day-to-day
running of the EU-Canada relationship in an informal and pragmatic fashion. Senior officials
should  be  presented  with  a  significantly  reduced  workload,  focusing  on  priority  issues  for
discussion at Ministerial and Summit meetings, and on setting objectives.

3.2.

Frequency of Meetings

Meetings  at  the  highest  level  are  useful  to  push  forward  difficult  bilateral  issues,  or  where
political  decisions  are  needed.  Where  the  relationship  functions  smoothly  at  the  working
level, there may be less need for intervention at the highest levels. In due course, the Council
may wish to consider the issue of Summit and Ministerial frequency, once the Steering Group
has functioned  long  enough  to  allow  for  an  evaluation  of  this  new  working  method.  In  any
event,  it  seems  appropriate  to  take  advantage  of  the  presence  of  Leaders  and  Foreign
Ministers at international events during the  year, such as the UN General Assembly and  G8
Summits,  to  hold  additional  ad  hoc  Ministerial  and  Summit  meetings  in  order  to  maintain
contacts at the highest level.

Contacts at official level should take place frequently and on a regular basis. Given that there
is  no  regular  formal  contact  at  this  level  at  present,13  it  would  be  appropriate  for  officials
steering EU-Canada relations in Brussels and Ottawa to maintain regular  contact by tele- or
videoconference  (at  least  twice  per  semester,  and  ad  hoc  as  necessary)  in  Steering  Group
format.  Various  expert  level  troika  meetings  on  foreign  and  security  policy  have  become
institutionalised  (currently  twenty-one  such  meetings  take  place  every  year  with  Canada).
Such  meetings  should  continue  on  an  ad  hoc  basis,  as  and  when  the  need  arises.  However,
they should feed into the formal channel for EU-Canada relations. While 'early warning' and

13

Regular formal contacts at expert level do take place in specific technical fields (for example in the field
of nuclear co-operation), however contacts at this level in the global context are not formalised.

12

                                                
dispute management would play a role in these contacts, whenever necessary, the emphasis in
EU-Canada  contacts  would  be  rather  on  identifying  areas  of  co-operation  in  advance  and
ensuring a co-ordinated approach. Such contacts would become increasingly important ahead
of  major  international  events,  such  as  meetings  of  the  UN  General  Assembly,  international
conferences, or crises.

3.3.

Institutional Arrangements

There is a need to establish a single co-ordinating structure to ensure coherence between all
strands of EU-Canada relations.

The European Commission has identified two options for upgrading the structures managing
the  EU-Canada  relationship:  (A)  to  revise  the  1976  Framework  Agreement,  giving  EU-
Canada relations a new legal base; (B) to issue a political declaration setting out the new co-
ordinating structure, followed in due course by a revision of the Framework Agreement.

In  identifying  these  two  options,  the  European  Commission  acknowledges  that  the  1976
Framework Agreement will have to be revised at some point. A single co-ordinating structure
at  all  levels  of  the  EU-Canada  relationship  cannot  be  brought  into  being  under  the  existing
Framework Agreement with its limited scope. Furthermore, over twenty separate Agreements
exist between the EU and Canada, independently of the 1976 Framework Agreement, and in
some cases establish their own bilateral structures for dialogue (see Annex). In the interests of
transparency  and  good  administration,  it  makes  sense  to  bring  these  Agreements  under  a
single governing framework for the EU-Canada relationship.

A  question  mark  remains  over  when  this  revision  of  the  Framework  Agreement  should  be
launched. This would involve a heavy legislative procedure, tying up resources for a number
of months, possibly years. Also, the picture is complicated by the ongoing Convention on the
future of the EU, which is likely to change the landscape of the CFSP. It might be appropriate
to  wait  for  the  results  of  the  Convention  and  the  IGC,  as  well  as  enlargement,  before
launching a procedure to bring the legal framework governing EU-Canada relations fully up
to date.

So as to ensure minimum disruption to the existing legal  framework, existing structures can
be adapted for the time being at least to the task of providing a single co-ordinating body.

The existing Joint Co-operation Committee, with its various sub-committees, was created by
Article  IV  of  the  1976  Framework  Agreement.14  Its  remit  is  strictly  economic  and
commercial.  On  the  EU  side,  the  JCC  is  chaired  by  the  Commission,  with  Member  States
invited in an observer capacity. With the extension of EU-Canada political cooperation, and
the  establishment  of  the  Action  Plan,  parallel  structures  have  been  established  to  deal  with
issues arising under the Second and Third Pillars, reflecting differing competencies within the
EU institutions. These structures sometimes meet back-to-back with the JCC. However, there
is no formal link between the three.

14

"A  Joint  Cooperation  Committee  shall  be  set  up  to  promote  and  keep  under  review  the  various
commercial  and  economic  cooperation  activities  envisaged  between  Canada  and  the  Communities.
Consultations  shall  be  held  in  the  committee  at  an  appropriate  level  in  order  to  facilitate  the
implementation and to further the general aims of the present Agreement. The Committee will normally
meet at least once a year. Special meetings of the Committee shall be held at the request of either party.
Sub-committees  shall  be  constituted  where  appropriate  in  order  to  assist  the  committee  in  the
performance of its tasks."

13

                                                
Clearly  such  an  arrangement  is  not  viable  in  the  longer  term  given  the  need  for  a  single
overarching  structure  to  guide  EU-Canada  relations.  As  long  as  the  1976  Framework
Agreement  remains  in  place,  there  is  a  legal  obligation  to  convene  the  JCC  at  least  once  a
year.  In  due  course,  the  structure  of  senior-level  dialogue  should  be  rationalised  with  the
creation of a single cross-pillar body with a mandate to consider all aspects of the EU-Canada
relationship.  In  the  meantime,  greater  efforts  could  be  made  to  bring  these  three  dialogue
tracks together  more  systematically in  the  future,  providing  a  ready-made  forum  for  senior-
level consultation.

In  the  short  to  medium  term,  however,  a  Political  Declaration  could  be  used  to  establish  a
Steering  Group  at  working  level  with  a  cross-pillar  mandate.  This  group  would  have  the
function  of  steering  the  day-to-day  functioning  of  the  EU-Canada  relationship,  notably  the
implementation of the Action Plan, providing an action-oriented, informal overall framework
at  official  level  that  is  currently  absent.  Membership  of  the  Steering  Group  on  the  EU  side
would  comprise  the  Commission  and  the  Presidency,  assisted  by  the  Council  Secretariat.
Reflecting  the  cross-pillar  nature  of  the  group's  remit,  either  the  Presidency  or  the
Commission  would  lead  on  items  within  their  respective  spheres  of  competence.  While  the
Steering  Group  would  provide  an  essential  overview  of  EU-Canada  relations,  it  would  not
replace  established  channels  which  continue  to  function  effectively,  notably  the  Trade  and
Investment Sub-Committee (TISC) of the JCC.15 The TISC would continue to play a central
role  in  the  management  of  the  EU-Canada  trade  and  investment  relationship,  including  the
negotiation  of  a  future  Trade  and  Investment  Enhancement  Agreement  (TIEA).  The  TISC
would continue to report to the JCC.

The European Commission therefore believes that Option (B) would be the appropriate way
forward  at  this  juncture.  There  are  strong  grounds  for  reviewing  the  1976  Framework
Agreement, which is now showing its age. However, given the uncertainties deriving from the
ongoing  work  of  the  Convention,  it  seems  appropriate  to  wait  until  the  EU’s  future
institutional landscape is more settled before embarking upon this major undertaking.  In the
meantime, a political declaration will be sufficient to allow existing structures to perform the
enhanced coordinating role needed in order to move the EU-Canada relationship onto a more
operational footing.

4.

CONCLUSION

The formal relationship between the EU and Canada is the oldest with any developed country.
In a changing and ever more challenging international environment, the deep ties binding the
EU  and  Canada  are  more  important  than  ever.  As  the  EU  itself  approaches  a  period  of
unprecedented change, there is a need to reinvigorate the EU-Canada relationship and to set it
on a firm footing.

In functional terms:

– 

15

Existing  channels  of  communication  should  be  upgraded  and  streamlined.  The
Commission recommends that the increasingly broad scope of EU-Canada relations
should  be brought under one overarching structure, managed at  working  level  by  a
Steering Group.

Other specialised channels devoted to  managing EU-Canada relations in technical  fields (for example
the  Euratom/Canada  Joint  Technical  Working  Group)  would  continue  to  function  as  separate  bodies
within the overall guiding framework of EU-Canada relations.

14

                                                
– 

The  legal  framework  requires  updating  to  reflect  the  changes  which  EU-Canada
relations  have  undergone  over  the  last  three  decades,  and  to  establish  the  new
structure  required  for  the  future.  The  Commission  recommends  that  a  Political
Declaration  be  made  by  leaders  to  this  effect,  with  a  revision  of  the  1976
Framework  Agreement  to  take  place  once  the  results  of  the  Convention  become
known.

Carrying out these essential adjustments to the mechanics of our relationship will assist us in
rendering EU-Canada co-operation more action-oriented than it is at present. We aim to co-
operate more systematically at all levels, to produce concrete results that provide added value
to  both  the  EU  and  Canada.  The  European  Commission  sees  particular  potential  for  co-
operation in the following areas:

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

The  EU  and  Canada  should  work  together  energetically  and  proactively  to  project
their  common  values  on  the  international  stage.  To  this  end,  the  EU  and  Canada
should take steps to reinforce their co-operation on foreign and security policy. EU
and  Canadian  officials  should  systematically  co-ordinate  their  positions  ahead  of
major international events and meetings of multilateral institutions.

Canada  is  not  only  a  highly  valued  political  partner  for  the  EU,  it  is  a  key  trading
partner.  The  Commission  and  Canadian  officials  have  already  embarked  upon  the
task  of  implementing  the  instructions  of  the  December  2002  Ottawa  Summit,  to
design  a 
investment
enhancement  agreement.  This  agreement  will  address  issues  beyond  traditional
market  access  thus  reflecting  a  new  commitment  to  strengthen  bilateral  trade  and
investment  flows,  while  continuing  support  for  the  multilateral  trading  system  and
projecting our shared community of values.

forward-looking,  wide-ranging  bilateral 

trade  and 

Europeans and Canadians share common objectives in the field of justice and home
affairs,  both  in  terms  of  the  ongoing  fight  against  terrorism,  and  in  the  context  of
safeguarding civil liberties. The movement of people, migration and asylum are also
issues  which  are  increasingly  cross-cutting.  The  EU  and  Canada  should  intensify
their co-operation in all these fields, while drawing on each others' experiences.

Threats  to  the  environment  at  the  local  and  the  global  level  present  a  pressing
challenge  for  the  international  community.  The  EU  and  Canada  are  partners  in
aggressively moving forward the environmental agenda on the world stage.

Strong  EU-Canada  relations  need  to  be  constantly  reinforced  from  the  bottom  up.
Educational and cultural links between Europeans and Canadians ensure the future
strength of our partnership. The European Commission will explore ways to broaden
exchanges between  young  people in Europe  and  Canada,  while  continuing  to  work
with Canada on the international stage to ensure that the value of cultural diversity is
recognised and safeguarded. The European Commission will continue to work with
Canada  to  explore  possibilities  for  developing  co-operation  in  the  audiovisual  and
cultural fields.

15

Annex

List of EU-Canada Agreements

Framework Agreements

– 

– 

– 

– 

FRAMEWORK  AGREEMENT  for  Commercial  and  Economic  Cooperation
between Canada and the European Communities, 1976

THE Canada-European Communities Declaration on Transatlantic Relations, 1990

JOINT Political Declaration on Canada-EU Relations, 1996

JOINT Canada-EU Action Plan, 1996

Sectoral Agreements

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

AGREEMENT  between  the  Government  of  Canada  and  the  European  Atomic
Energy  Community  (EURATOM)  for  Cooperation  in  the  Peaceful  Uses  of  Atomic
Energy

EXCHANGE  of  letters  between  the  Government  of  Canada  and  the  European
Atomic  Energy  Community  (EURATOM)  to  amend  the  Agreement  between  the
Government of Canada and the European Atomic Energy Community of October 6,
1959 for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, particularly insofar as
it relates to safeguards (with Additional Exchanges of Letters)

AMENDMENTS  to  the  Agreement  of  6  October  1959  (1),  in  the  form  of  an
exchange of letters, between the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM)
and the Government of Canada for cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy

AGREEMENT  between  Canada  and  the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community  for
cooperation in the area of nuclear research

MEMORANDUM  of  Understanding  between 
the  European  Atomic  Energy
Community  represented  by  the  Commission  of  the  European  Communities  and  the
Government  of  Canada  concerning  cooperation  in  the  field  of  fusion  research  and
development

IMPLEMENTING  Agreement  between  the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community
represented by the Commission of the European Communities and Atomic Energy of
Canada Limited designated as implementing agent by the Government of Canada on
the involvement of Canada in the European Atomic Energy Community contribution
to  the  engineering  design  activities  (EDA)  for  the  International  Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER)

MEMORANDUM of Understanding for cooperation between the European Atomic
Energy Community and the Government of Canada in the field of controlled nuclear
fusion

16

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

AGREEMENT in the form of an exchange of letters between the European Atomic
Energy  Community  (EURATOM)  and  the  Government  of  Canada,  amending  the
Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) and the
Government  of  Canada  of  6  October  1959  for  cooperation  in  the  peaceful  uses  of
atomic energy

AGREED Minutes to the Agreement in the form of an exchange of letters between
the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community  (EURATOM)  and  the  Government  of
Canada, amending the Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community
(EURATOM) and the Government of Canada of 6 October 1959 for cooperation in
the peaceful uses of atomic energy

AGREEMENT between the Government of Canada and the European Communities
regarding the Application of their Competition Laws

AGREEMENT  between  Canada  and  the  European  Community  on  Customs
Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters

AGREEMENT  between  the  European  Community  and  Canada  establishing  a
Cooperation Programme in Higher Education and Training

AGREEMENT  between  the  European  Community  and  the  Government  of  Canada
Renewing a Cooperation Programme in Higher Education and Training

AGREEMENT  between  the  European  Community  and  the  Government  of  Canada
on Sanitary Measures to protect public and animal health in respect of trade in live
animals and animals products

AGREEMENT  for  Scientific  and  Technical  Cooperation  between  Canada  and  the
European Community

AGREEMENT for the conclusion of negotiations between the European Community
and Canada under GATT Article XXIV:6

EXCHANGE  of  letters  between  the  European  Community  and  Canada  on  the
conclusions of negotiations under GATT Article XXIV:6

EXCHANGE  of  Letters  on  Environmental  Co-operation  between  the  European
Commission and the Government of Canada, 1975

AGREEMENT  between 
concerning trade and commerce in alcoholic beverages

the  European  Economic  Community  and  Canada

AGREEMENT  on  international  humane  trapping  standards  between  the  European
Community, Canada and the Russian Federation

Mutual Recognition Agreement - Conformity Assessment, 1998

Joint  Statement  on  Electronic  Commerce  in  the  Global  Information  Society,
December 1999

17