European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa will join Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday for two days of discussions on trade, security, energy, education and the Arctic.
The summit “is a very strong statement,” said Mark Camilleri, president of the Canada-EU Trade and Investment Association. “I don’t think there’s any sense that this is going to be a low-key meeting.”
Canada is also seeking to act before political change in Europe. Ottawa wants changes in the partnership that will outlast Trump and Marine Le Pen, whose National Rally is ahead in France and has criticized the EU-Canada trade deal, CETA, a Canadian diplomat said. All officials and diplomats cited in this article were granted anonymity to speak candidly about preparations for the summit.
Avoiding Trump’s Wrath
Brussels and Ottawa are working to strengthen their relationship, including by cooperating more closely in the areas of trade and defense, international engagement and institutional ties, according to a draft joint statement obtained by POLITICO.
In his September State of the Union address, von der Leyen emphasized that the EU-Canada alliance “is not against anyone else.” Still, officials acknowledge that a stronger alliance risks triggering retaliation from Trump.
Von der Leyen, Costa and Carney “are fully aware that the eyes of the world are on them,” Camilleri said.
Gn world
