Brussels, 14/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - As foreseen (see EUROPE of 13 May, p.8), the European Commission adopted on Tuesday the communication on consolidating relations with Canada, a communication that President Prodi will present to Prime Minister Jean Chrétien within the context of the Athens Summit on 28 May. The document, addressed to the Council and Parliament, covers strengthened bilateral cooperation on the international scene and offers avenues of reflection for a bilateral agreement on trade and investment. Other issues are also tackled, mainly cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs, the environment, education and culture.
Commissioner Pascal Lamy, responsible for European trade policy, stressed that the time has come to enter a new stage in the long and constructive relationship between the EU and Canada on trade and investment, and to prepare a new kind of bilateral agreement providing an answer to the new trade and investment challenges of the 21st century between two open and developed economies. He said this is also the reflection of a sincere commitment to promote common values. The agreement, the idea of which was floated last year during the previous EU/Canada summit, would be the very first of its kind that the EU negotiates with a developed non-European country on questions other than the traditional problem of market access. External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten for his part placed emphasis on the field of international relations where Canada and the EU take a serious interest in their role as protectors of the multilateral system, with respect of the rule of law worldwide. Among other things, the Commission suggests: - consolidating Euro-Canadian dialogue on migration and the right of asylum, working to conclude a Europol-Canada agreement as soon as possible, seeing if it is possible to do the same for extradition and judicial cooperation; - consolidating cooperation on environment-related aspects, with a view to keeping climate change on the agenda of the international community, contributing to the implementation of commitments taken in Johannesburg and integrating environmental considerations in the Doha Development Agenda; - endeavouring to guarantee the sustainable use, management and preservation of the world's fishing resources; - consolidating links with regards education and culture, to secure a sound partnership for the future, with action from top to bottom (an increased number of youth exchanges, continued collaboration in international bodies with a view to strengthening recognition and the protection of cultural diversity, etc.)