Cooperation on Environment and Climate Change: Canada-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement

Plain language summary

The Canada-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) was signed in parallel to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, and seeks to broaden Canada’s cooperation with the EU on a wide range of issues including international peace and security, migration, human rights, sustainable development, and innovation. The SPA formalizes and expands cooperation efforts related to the High Level Dialogues on the Environment and Climate Change.

Objective

The High-Level Dialogues on the Environment and Climate Change support Canada’s relationship with the EU on those issues, providing opportunities for both Parties to share best practices and promote effective and inclusive cooperation on climate change and other issues relating to environmental protection.

Key elements

The SPA represents the new foundation for the Canadian-EU relations, and commits Parties to hold regular High-Level Dialogues on the Environment and Climate Change.

Expected results

The two High-Level Dialogues provide opportunities to capitalize on substantive discussions on environmental and climate change issues of mutual importance and help Canada and the EU identify areas of cooperation.

Canada’s involvement

The EU is an active and important player domestically and internationally, in the areas of climate change and environment. It is also very influential in many fora where Canada is also present. Therefore, developing a strong relationship with the EU supports Canada’s international leadership in areas related to the environment and addressing climate change.

Results / progress

Activities

While the High Level Dialogue on the Environment takes place every eighteen months or so in either Ottawa or Brussels, the High Level Dialogue on Climate Change has been less formal and held on the margins of meetings under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Canada and the EU held the most recent High Level Dialogues on the Environment and Climate Change virtually in the fall of 2020. The next High Level Dialogues will be held in 2022.

Reports

The Joint Cooperation Committee established under the SPA provides annual reports on the state of Canada’s relationship with the EU to the Joint Ministerial Committee, also established under the SPA.