Ottawa, Ontario - 26 September 2014
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much and greetings to all.
Once again, I’d like to begin by welcoming to Canada our special guests, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.
Greetings as well to European Union Trade Commissioner De Gucht.
Over the decades there have been many Canada-E.U. Summits.
This Summit however truly marks the start of a new era in Canada-E.U. relations.
For more than five years negotiators for both Canada and the European Union have worked diligently and tenaciously to construct an agreement that will greatly amplify the trade and investment between us and thereby create jobs and growth throughout both Canada and the E.U.
Last October it was my profound pleasure to report that the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement had been agreed to in principle.
Today I’m happy to announce that in a few moments the final text of that Agreement will be released in both of Canada’s national languages.
Ladies and gentlemen, it would be hard to exaggerate the importance of this event in the historic evolution of our country’s relationship with the European Union.
The Canada-E.U. Trade Agreement is deeper in substance and broader in scope than any such other agreement in Canadian history.
By giving Canadian exporters preferential access to the E.U.’s 500 million affluent customers, this agreement will reshape our commercial relationship with the world’s single largest marketplace.
Upon implementation the elimination of almost all tariffs is expected to generate a massive increase in business and thousands of new jobs.
On its own therefore it is a game changer.
However, taken together with our other free-trade agreements, in particular the longstanding North American free trade agreement and the just signed recently signed Canada-Korea Free-Trade Agreement, Canada will enjoy free trade access to more than half of the global economy.
In short Canada will have one of the greatest trading networks in the world and the jobs and opportunities that go with it.
That makes the Canada-E.U. Trade Agreement more than a game changer.
For Canadian business it puts us in a whole new game, a place in the world’s highest league.
It would also be hard to exaggerate how much Canadians owe to the vision and determination of the leaders who are here with me today.
On behalf of all Canadians I’d therefore like to thank and congratulate both Presidents Barroso and Van Rompuy not only for their commitment and determination to see this agreement through, not only for their leadership and support in the recently concluded Strategic Partnership Agreement between us, but also for their unfailing friendship to Canada and their wise stewardship of the E.U. during all of their years in office.
The relationship between Canada and the European Union has always been strong but these agreements really do move it to a whole new level.
So gentlemen, once more on this historic occasion, we welcome you to Canada.
