MEMO/13/914 EUROPEAN COMMISSION
MEMO
Brussels, 18 October 2013
Declaration by the President of the European Commission and the Prime Minister of Canada: "A new era in EU- Canada relations"
With today’s announcement of the successful conclusion of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), we have taken a crucial step forward in strengthening relations between the European Union and Canada. We are now committed to finalising the remaining technical and legal work expeditiously, so that it can be formally concluded as soon as possible.
CETA is a 21st century, gold-standard agreement which will create new opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic, generating more trade and investment, thus promoting growth and supporting more European and Canadian jobs. The Canada-EU CETA addresses a wide range of issues including improved access for goods and services; greater certainty, transparency and protection for investments; enhanced cooperation in areas of mutual interest, such as regulatory development and labour mobility; and new opportunities in procurement markets. Once implemented, the agreement is expected to increase two-way bilateral trade in goods and services by 23% or about € 26 billion (C$38 billion).
Today’s breakthrough on CETA, together with the forthcoming Strategic Partnership Agreement, mark the start of a new, stronger chapter in the long standing partnership between the EU and Canada. We look forward to meeting in Canada for the next Canada- EU Summit in the months ahead.
José Manuel Barroso Stephen Harper
(President of the European Commission) (Prime Minister of Canada)
