Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in Brussels on Wednesday while Canada is working to deepen its business and defense links with Europe.
The Prime Minister landed in the Belgian capital around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. His day visit includes a meeting with the secretary general of NATO Mark Rutte and the two senior leaders of the European Union.
Ursula von der Leyen has been president of the European Commission since 2019, and her work is to direct the political and EU legislation.
Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa has been president of the European Council since last December, and his role establishes global priorities for the block.
Trudeau should organize an afternoon press conference before leaving for Ottawa.
His visit comes after years of growing commercial ties between Canada and Europe.
Ottawa has signed hydrogen export agreements to Germany and has launched discussions with Brussels on how Canada can provide critical minerals for things like electric vehicles.
This collaboration could deepen while European leaders join the Canadians to repel the threats of American President Donald Trump to harm prices and territorial expansion.
Trump signed a prescription on February 1 to impose punishing prices in Canada – 10% on energy and 25% on all other imports – but interrupted them until March 4 while waiting for what he called an effort To conclude an economic agreement with Canada. He has also repeatedly afflicted EU policies and threatened to impose prices on European goods, distinguishing the European automotive industry in particular.
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The president’s repeated remarks on the purchase or annexation of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, also caused emergency meetings of the EU leaders. Their concerns echo those of Trudeau, who said last week that Trump’s desire to make Canada an American state is “a real thing”.
The Liberals said that the increase in trade with Europe is one of the options they are looking at to sail in a more uncertain relationship with the United States
Trade between the countries of Canada and the EU has increased since a free trade agreement entered into force in 2017 – despite the fact that certain countries, including Belgium and France, have avoided complete ratification.
The links between Canada and the EU could be further strengthened through a defense and security pact under negotiation.
A program of January 9 for the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU Council, which coordinates the organization’s high -level plans, included an element requiring “the authorization to negotiate” a protocol for a “security partnership and Defense of the EU-Canada. “
Brussels began to train security pacts with other countries last year, after taking the idea following the invasion of Ukraine on a large scale in Russia in 2022.
The EU signed agreements with Japan and South Korea last November. They both called for “the promotion of naval cooperation in concrete”, such as joint exercises, the exchange of information on the defense industries and the authorization of military ships to dwell to repair or replenish.
Brussels has also signed pacts with four European countries that are not part of the EU, focusing on issues such as underwater infrastructure and border management.
Last September, Canada World Affairs sent the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly a marked information note “for decision” with the subject “Security and defense partnership between Canada and the European Union”.
The content of the briefing note has been expternal under exemptions from the information access law and the ministry would not describe the content of the document, citing confidentiality.
“Canada and the EU have a solid and multifaceted relationship, and this includes security and defense problems,” the ministry wrote in a statement.
Canada is already one of the defense agreements with the EU which, among other things, allow it to move military equipment through the EU borders to support Ukraine. He also sent a small number of civil servants to help with EU’s defense missions.
The EU played a more important role in continental defense, after decades to focus on economic integration.
Since 2009, the EU has a mutual defense clause which says that members have the obligation to help any other member who is “victim of armed assault on his territory”.
The idea of an EU army was discussed during the decades. French President Emmanuel Macron is particularly enthusiastic about the idea and argued that this would reduce the continent’s dependence on American support.
Trudeau’s visit comes from upcoming meetings in Brussels of the NATO military alliance and the Ukraine defense contact group, which will be followed by the Minister of Defense, Bill Blair.
& Copy 2025 the Canadian press
