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EU - Canada Relations

EU - Canada relations are monitored by two key Agreements: the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Both Agreements were signed in Brussels during the bilateral EU-Canada Summit on 30 October 2016.

EU - Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA)

The SPA is based on the common EU - Canada values of respecting human rights, democratic principles, and fundamental freedoms. Dialogue, mutual respect, equality of Parties, pluralism, and respect for international law constitute vital principles of this partnership.

SPA sets out the framework for cooperation in 28 distinct sectors and geographical areas: peace and security, human rights, education, research and innovation, environment, energy, and climate change. It lays down the structure of bilateral cooperation between the two parties, establishing the holding of (thematic) Dialogues at the level of Heads of State, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and experts in the fields of common interest, such as security and defense, sustainable development, climate change and innovation.

On 1 July 2017, the provisional implementation of the Agreement began for nearly two-thirds of its content. As the agreement is of mixed competence (of the EU and its member states), ratification by all national parliaments of the EU member states is required for its full entry into force. From the Greek side, the Agreement was ratified by the Law 4981/2022. (Official Government Gazette A΄194/15.10.2022).

The Agreement text is available on the following link:

https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-5368-2016-REV-2/en/pdf

Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA)

Negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada were formally concluded on August 1, 2014. The part of the agreement concerning trade in goods and services, as well as investment liberalization, has been provisionally applied since September 21, 2017. As a mixed-competence agreement, it requires ratification by the parliaments of the member states to come into full and definitive effect. To date (November 2023), the agreement has been ratified by 17 member-states.

CETA is the first Free Trade Agreement between the EU and a G7 country and is expected to increase bilateral Canada - EU trade by 23%, amounting to €25.7 billion. According to European Commission data, the anticipated annual economic benefit from the EU - Canada CETA is estimated at €11.6 billion for the EU and €8.2 billion for Canada. Additionally, the expected increase in EU exports to the US and Canada is anticipated to create new opportunities for EU and member-state businesses.

Our country attaches particular importance to this agreement and to all EU trade agreements with third countries on enhanced protection of intellectual property rights, with an emphasis on the enhanced protection of products with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), both for agricultural and processed products.