French PM, Trudeau defend Canada-EU trade pact

French PM, Trudeau defend Canada-EU trade pact

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) and French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal backed the trade pact between Canada and the European Union
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (R) and French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal backed the trade pact between Canada and the European Union. Photo: PATRICK DOYLE / AFP
Source: AFP

Prime Ministers Gabriel Attal of France and Canada's Justin Trudeau on Thursday defended a trade pact between Canada and the European Union whose ratification has been stymied in France's legislature.

The pair expressed confidence in the continued implementation of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), with Attal calling it a "win-win agreement" despite opposition in his own country.

"The figures do not lie," the visiting Attal told a joint press conference. "Since it came into force, trade between our two countries has progressed by more than a third."

Trudeau meanwhile said Canada would continue to "demonstrate the positive impact on citizens of trade and responsible commerce between friends and allies who share the same values."

Following its approval by the European parliament in early 2017, the trade agreement has been applied provisionally since September of that year, but requires ratification in all EU member countries to take full effect.

Read also

Panama plans dry alternative to drought-hit canal

Amid protests by farmers, France's Senate voted against it last month, in a major blow to the government of President Emmanuel Macron.

Ten European states have yet to ratify the agreement that includes preferential access to Canadian minerals, such as uranium or lithium, which are critical for energy transition and prized by Paris.

Trade between the EU and Canada has increased since the war in Ukraine, as European countries substituted Russian imports for Canadian products.

Fighting wildfires

The two leaders also discussed climate change and the devastating forest fires that ravaged Canada last year.

France sent 350 firefighters to help Canada battle the blazes, which destroyed more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres). Smoke from these fires billowed as far as the United States and Europe.

Read also

JPMorgan Chase CEO warns inflation could stay high

Trudeau announced the purchase of two Canadian water bombers by France and a deal to boost cooperation on dealing with such wildfires.

Attal also "welcomed Canada's support for Ukraine."

He headed to French-speaking Quebec later in the day for talks and a speech to the Quebec National Assembly.

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.