Brussels, 20/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the EU-Canada Summit on 19 June in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, the EU and Canada agreed to boost their economic partnership and pursue 'effective multilateralism' in international affairs. The European delegation, headed by Jean-Claude Juncker and Jose Manuel Barroso, and the Canadian prime minister Paul Martin assessed progress in the recently launched negotiations on a Trade and Investment Enhancement Agreement (TIEA) on major non-tariff challenges to EU-Canada relations. The common statement adopted at the Summit says that the TIEA will meet the needs of EU and Canadian business circles by focussing on the priorities they have selected, including growing cooperation on regulations, investment, services, public tendering, intellectual property rights and trade facilitation. The next round of negotiations over the TIEA will be held after the summer break. Both sides decided to combat overfishing in the Northern Atlantic Ocean and to combat the bird flu epidemic. They will work to ensure better transfer of information about travellers moving between Canada and Europe to combat terrorism. They also discussed climate change, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to honour their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol and consider changes to the international climate change mechanisms post-2012, particularly at a UN conference on climate change in Montreal later this year.
In the common statement, the EU and Canada said they shared vies on the major international security problems at the moment, namely terrorism proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), rogue states and those in the process of becoming rogue states, flagrant mass violations of human rights, organised crime and poverty; and wanted 'effective multilateralism'. They agreed that UN has prime responsibility for peace keeping and international security. On counter-terrorism, both sides note in the final statement that they agree on support they provide to the UN's actions in this connection. The EU and Canada also agreed to provide aid in the form of training, technical and legal assistance to countries lacking the necessary resources and expertise to prevent terrorism.
Speaking to reporters, Jean-Claude Juncker said the Europeans had briefed Canada on recent developments in Europe and the European Council of 16/17 June. They had stressed that the EU's domestic problems had no bearing on its international commitments and relations with partner countries. Juncker said Canada would remain one of the EU's vital partners and the Summit of 19 June had reflected the exemplary spirit of openness that characterises the EU's relations with Canada.
On the fringes of the Summit, Luxembourg's foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, met with his Canadian counterpart Pierre Pettigrew to discuss a wide range of international issues like peace in the Middle East, Iraq, Afghanistan, drought in Sudan, instability in Haiti and Iran's nuclear programme, explains a Luxembourg Presidency press release.