International bilateral security instruments
Learn about bilateral security instruments and how they help Canadian suppliers bid on contracts abroad
On this page
- Overview of International bilateral security instruments
- Signed instruments not yet in force
- Multinational Industrial Security Working Group
- Related links
Overview of International bilateral security instruments
The Government of Canada works with foreign governments to protect sensitive information through bilateral security instruments. These formal instruments made between Canada and other countries establish a shared security protocol for handling classified or protected information. These instruments may be known by different names, including:
- General Security of Information Agreements
- Information Sharing Agreements
- General Security Agreements
- General Security of Military Information Agreements
- Memoranda of Understanding
- Arrangements
Areas of cooperation
International bilateral security instruments facilitate business agreement opportunities in sectors such as:
- defence
- security
- aerospace
- maritime
- nuclear
- space
Public Services and Procurement Canada's Industrial Security Sector has been negotiating and implementing bilateral security instruments with other countries and international organizations for more than 7 decades. These countries and international organizations are listed below:
- Albania
- Australia
- Belgium
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Denmark
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- European Union (EU)
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Israel
- Italy
- Latvia
- NATO
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
- United States
Signed instruments not yet in force
Signed bilateral security instruments may take time before they come into force. For details on this process, consult the Policy on Tabling of Treaties in Parliament and recent announcements related to international bilateral security instruments:
- Portugal
- Ukraine
Multinational Industrial Security Working Group
Canada is part of the Multinational Industrial Security Working Group (MISWG) that consists of National Security Authorities, Designated Security Authorities and their representatives who are responsible for industrial security in their country. The MISWG mission is to:
- promote, improve and harmonize common international industrial security best practices
- safeguard classified and certain other forms of government-controlled information to confront current and emerging security threats and challenges within its scope
Adoption of common templates and exchange procedures facilitates the implementation and operation of international programs and projects among the MISWG membership.
This international working group consists of:
- all NATO countries (except Iceland)
- Australia
- Austria
- Israel
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- Switzerland
- European Commission (observer)
- European Defence Agency (observer)
- European Space Agency (observer)
- NATO Office of Security (observer)
- Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) (observer)