Ottawa, Ontario
26 September 2014
June 2007 – At the 2007 European Union (EU)–Canada Summit in Berlin, Canadian and EU leaders agree to conduct a joint study examining the costs and benefits of pursuing a closer economic partnership.
October 2008 – Canada and the EU issue a joint study, “Assessing the Costs and Benefits of a Closer EU–Canada Economic Partnership”, which provided supporting rationale for a launch of negotiations.
December 2008 – A notice is published in the December 20, 2008, Canada Gazette seeking Canadians’ input on the possibility of negotiating a trade agreement with the EU. These consultations were open to all stakeholders and groups.
March 2009 – A Canada–EU joint report is finalized, defining the scope of potential negotiations.
May 2009 – Prime Minister Stephen Harper, along with EU President Mirek Topolánek and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, announce the launch of trade negotiations at the Canada–EU Summit in Prague, Czech Republic.
October 2009 – A successful and productive first round of negotiations toward an Agreement is held in Ottawa. Both sides made efforts to identify common grounds and set an ambitious negotiating timeline.
December 2010 – Canadian and EU trade ministers meet to take stock of progress to date, instructing negotiators to maintain the pace and ambition of negotiations.
October 2011 – Nine formal rounds of negotiations are completed, with significant progress made across all sectors. Negotiations move into a more intensive and focused phase.
February 2012 – Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for international trade meet in Ottawa and recognize the trade negotiations with the EU as a priority.
November 2012 – Canadian and EU trade and agriculture ministers meet in Brussels, Belgium, to take stock of progress and discuss outstanding issues.
February 2013 – Canadian and EU trade and agriculture ministers meet in Ottawa to further narrow the remaining outstanding issues in the negotiations.
June 2013 – Prime Minister Harper meets with José Manuel Barroso at the G–8 Summit in Ireland.
September 2013 – Prime Minister Harper meets with José Manuel Barroso at the G–20 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.
September 2013 – Prime Minister Harper meets with José Manuel Barroso at the UN General Assembly in New York.
October 2013 – Prime Minister Harper and José Manuel Barroso announce, in Brussels, that Canada and the EU have reached an agreement in principle.
August 2014 – Canada and the EU announce that they have reached a complete text of the Canada–EU Trade Agreement, marking the conclusion of negotiations. Canada and the EU are now proceeding with a thorough legal review and translation of the text into the other 22 EU treaty languages.
September 2014 – At the Canada–EU Summit in Ottawa, leaders release the completed text of the Agreement. It is published in Canada in both of Canada’s official languages.
