CETA: EU and Canada commit to implement the Paris Agreement

The first Joint Committee under the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), held yesterday in Montreal (Canada), adopted a Recommendation on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

The adopted document states that the two sides will work together and take joint actions contributing to the goals of the Paris Agreement and the transition to low greenhouse-gas emissions intensifying existing collaboration in the climate field. All of comprehensive trade agreements that the EU negotiates include a substantial chapter on trade and sustainable development and the most recent ones – with Japan and Mexico – explicitly mention the Paris Agreement. The EU and Canada signed CETA before the Paris Agreement became effective. By making sure that the first Recommendation of the Joint Committee addresses climate action, the two sides mark their commitment to this priority also in the framework of their trade relationship. Besides the adoption of this Recommendation, in the meeting following shortly the first anniversary of the agreement, Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström and Canadian Minister for International Trade Diversification, James Carr reviewed the progress achieved over the first year of the implementation of CETA and agreed on two other recommendations: one on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and one on trade and gender. More information about the outcome of the first CETA Joint Committee can be found in the Joint Statement issued on the occasion and on the dedicated webpage including photo and video material from the Commissioner Malmström‘s visit to Canada.