Remarks by President António Costa at the press conference following the EU-Canada summit

 

• European Council
• Statements and remarks
• 23 June 2025 20:30

Remarks by President António Costa at the press

conference following the EU-Canada summit

Premièrement bienvenu à Bruxelles, à l’Union européenne. C’est toujours un plaisir de recevoir un ami très spécial comme c’est le premier ministre du Canada.

Our 20th Summit is much more than a symbolic milestone. It is a powerful political statement. The European Union and Canada are among the closest allies in the transatlantic space. We see the world through a similar lens and we stand for the same values. We have always stood by each other — and we will continue to do so.

Building upon these very solid foundations, we have agreed to forge even stronger bonds. With the support of the 27 member states, we will take our strategic relationship to an unprecedented level of closeness. That is why today’s summit marks a turning point in our history.

First on defence: we have just signed the EU-Canada Security and Defence Partnership. It is a reflection of our mutual commitment to peace, transatlantic security, and deeper cooperation in building defence capabilities. It opens new opportunities for companies on both sides of the Atlantic. While NATO remains the cornerstone of our collective defence, this Partnership will allow us to strengthen our preparedness faster and better — to invest more, and to invest smarter.

On the economic front, we agreed to expand our trade flows and promote our economic security. Thanks to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement [CETA], since 2017, bilateral trade in goods and services has surged by 71%, demonstrating the tangible benefits of our free trade agreement for citizens and businesses alike. CETA belongs to a new generation of trade deals: it protects workers, preserves the environment, and safeguards our trademarks. Now, we are working on expanding this relationship and broadening our cooperation.

Our new joint agenda will allow us to work more closely in the fields of digital trade, energy security, labour mobility and the supply of critical raw materials. We will join forces in the global race for Artificial Intelligence and other breakthrough technologies. And we will also foster people-to-people ties and promote exchanges in education and innovation — while firmly defending academic freedom.

Together, we will fight climate change. Global problems require global collaboration. And the European Union and Canada can rely on each other. Our prosperity is interlinked, and together, we are stronger.

This summit could not be more timely: after the G7 in Kananaskis, the day before NATO summit, and the day before the NATO summit, and the week of the European Council, which will discuss Europe in the world. Together, we continue to uphold the values that unite us. At a time when the rules-based international order is under pressure, when multilateralism is under attack — the European Union and Canada stand out as responsible, predictable and reliable partners.

Thank you.