The two‑day 21st Canada‑European Union summit concluded on Friday in Montreal, Canada, with the launch of the "Alliance for the Future," a cooperative framework covering trade, digital economy, raw materials, and other key areas, according to Xinhua.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada is pursuing the status of the EU’s first associate member, aiming for a deeper partnership that is "short of accession," Xinhua reported.
A joint statement said the alliance will deliver ambitious cooperation in trade and regulatory cooperation, digital, research and communications technologies, critical raw materials and energy, financial services and markets, security and preparedness, and people‑to‑people ties.
Carney said the two sides will "determine the substance, scale and scope of this form of membership" over the coming months, with an "ever‑closer association" to be defined by the 2027 EU‑Canada Summit, as reported by Xinhua.
"Over the coming months, we will determine the substance, scale and scope of this form of membership," Carney said.
The summit saw more than 20 new initiatives unveiled, and it marked the conclusion of negotiations for Canada‑EU Digital Trade Agreement, the first digital trade pact dedicated entirely to Canada, according to Xinhua.
This agreement is designed to reduce friction in online trade and make it easier for businesses to sell goods and services across digital borders, Xinhua explained.
Overall, the summit positioned Canada and the EU to deliver more choice and lower costs for families, new export markets for businesses, and greater opportunities for young people to live, work, and study across the two regions, the prime minister’s office added in a news release during the summit.
