EU/Canada Summit, 30/10/2016
Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the EC, Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, and Cecilia Malmström, Member of the EC in charge of Trade, participated in the 16th EU/Canada Summit together with Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, and Martin Schulz, President of the EP. On this occasion Justin Trudeau, Robert Fico, Slovak Prime Minister, Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker signed two EU/Canada treaties; the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), in the presence of Chrystia Freeland, Canadian Minister for International Trade. The deal would benefit exporters, big and small, creating opportunities for European and Canadian companies and their employees, as well as for consumers. Almost all – 99 percent – of import duties would be eliminated, saving European exporters of industrial goods and agricultural products more than 500 million euros a year. As the EU's most advanced and progressive trade agreement to date, CETA was a landmark accord that set the benchmark for future agreements. It included the most ambitious chapters on sustainable development, labour and the environment ever agreed upon in bilateral trade agreements. CETA would not solely help boost trade and economic activity, but also promote and protect shared values. Leaders then adopted a joint declaration on the EU/Canada partnership. Discussions also focused on Ukraine, Syria, as well as on migration and refugees.