Brussels, 18/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - The twice-annual summit between the Union and Canada is taking place in Ottawa this Tuesday. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the EU/Canada Framework-Agreement, the team of Jean Chretien, whose term of office has just been renewed by the electorate, and the delegation led by Presidents Romano Prodi and Jacques Chirac, will trigger a series of commemorative activities on each side of the Atlantic. A new agreement on higher education and vocational training will be signed, at the end of the traditional overview of the major chapters of cooperation and political and commercial topics. We can expected the following subjects to be raised: the question of illegal immigration from China, Ottawa's concerns over the project to create a European rapid reaction force, its possible participation in the European satellite navigation system (Galileo), preparations for the next round of trade negotiations within the WTO, respective reflections on development cooperation, and on the digital divide. Finally, the Summit may break the deadlock in the laborious negotiations over access to the wine and spirits market, one of the rare issues of dispute that is spoiling an otherwise healthy relationship.
Politically, where cooperation is especially close and fruitful, John Mandy, Chris Patten, Hubert Vedrine and Javier Solana will discuss European security and defence policy, the situation in the Western Balkans and the Middle East, the security of people (light weapons, anti-personnel mines, disarmament, non-proliferation). Officials for trade, Pierre Pettigrew, Pascal Lamy and Francois Huwart will for their part examine: a) the prospects of launching the Millennium Round; b) a memorandum from the Canada-Europe Trade Forum (the CERT, which will discuss it the following day with Commissioner Lamy), calling for the dismantling of obstacles to transatlantic trade; c) the laborious dispute over wine. The Summit may ratify a compromise in this affair, which was recently the subject of an exchange of letters between European and Canadian agriculture officials, so as to allow for the import of Canadian "Icewine" into the Union while waiting for the conclusion of a bilateral agreement on wines and spirits that guarantees European exporters the protection of their names and fair trading practices on the Canadian market.
Different statements on a certain number of subjects should be approved at the Summit.