Nearly a decade after the launch of CETA, Canada and the European Union are reassessing how their economic and political partnership can deepen in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical environment.
As geopolitical and economic uncertainty reshapes the global trading system, cooperation between trusted partners has become increasingly important. Canada and the European Union share a deep commitment to open markets, rules‑based trade, and democratic values. Nearly a decade after the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Canada-EU partnership is entering a new phase, raising important questions about how the relationship can evolve to meet emerging economic and strategic challenges.
Signed in 2016 and provisionally applied since 2017, CETA has significantly strengthened economic ties between Canada and the European Union. Since CETA’s provisional application, Canada-EU merchandise trade has increased by 66.3%, reaching $127.4 billion (~€118 billion) in 2024. Services trade has also expanded rapidly, with Canadian services exports to the EU growing by 104% and EU services exports to Canada increasing by 83.3% over the same period.
A recent European Commission report based on a comprehensive ex‑post evaluation of CETA concluded that the agreement is delivering positive results for both partners. At the same time, policymakers and stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic have increasingly called for a deeper and more strategic partnership.
Momentum for enhanced cooperation was reinforced at the June 2025 Canada-EU Leaders’ Summit, where leaders launched a “New EU–Canada Strategic Partnership of the Future.” This ambition has been echoed in discussions of the CETA Joint Committee and reflected in the European Parliament’s recent recommendations on enhanced EU-Canada cooperation in the current geopolitical context.
Against this backdrop, a central question emerges:
What comes next for CETA and the broader Canada–EU relationship?
Join us on 30 March 2026 for the next installment of the CETA Series, organized by the Canada EU Trade and Investment Association (CEUTIA). This event will bring together policymakers, trade experts, and business leaders to explore how Canada and the European Union can deepen their economic partnership and shape the next chapter of transatlantic cooperation.
Panel Speakers
Tobias Cremer, Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur for the European Parliament report on enhanced EU-Canada cooperation (Invited)
Koen Berden, Senior Fellow, ECIPE, and lead author of DG Trade’s ex‑post assessment of CETA
Meredith Lilly, Professor and Simon Reisman Chair in International Economic Policy at Carleton University’s Norman Paterson School of International Affairs; former Foreign Affairs and International Trade Advisor to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Klaus Houben, Europe Business Development Director, Export Development Canada (EDC)
Mark Camilleri, President, Canada EU Trade and Investment Association (CEUTIA)
Moderated by: Callie Stewart, Commercial & Economic Counsellor and Senior Trade Commissioner, Canadian Mission to the EU
Date: 30 March 2026
Time: 17:30 to 18:45 CET / 11:30 to 12:45 ET
Location: Canadian Mission to the EU, 57 Avenue des Arts, Brussels*
The event will include online participation for those outside the Brussels area.
* A networking reception will follow for in-person participants.
The event is being organized by the Canada EU Trade and Investment Association (CEUTIA) on behalf of, and with the support of, the Canadian Mission to the EU.
This is the latest instalment of the #CETA Series of events aimed at examining the strategic importance of the Canada-EU economic and trade partnership and how to unlock its full potential.