As Canada and the European Union mark the 8th anniversary of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, today concluded a consequential and productive trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he participated in the meeting of European Union (EU) Economy and Finance Ministers (ECOFIN).
Invited by Denmark, which currently holds the EU Council Presidency, Minister Champagne joined counterparts from the United Kingdom, Norway, Ukraine, and EU member states in participating in the ECOFIN meeting.
Minister Champagne engaged in various international priorities with his European counterparts, including the economic effects of geopolitics, and reforms to strengthen productivity and economic resilience. Top of the agenda was the need to establish closer defence and security ties amid changing geopolitics and trade patterns. He also participated in a pivotal roundtable on Arctic security with local interlocutors, where he highlighted Canada and Denmark's leading roles in a region of growing geopolitical significance and change.
On the margins of the meeting, Minister Champagne held key bilateral discussions, including with his counterparts from the European Union, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, Italy, Germany and Ukraine. The Minister also underlined the potential for deeper bilateral collaboration between Canada and Denmark on issues such as renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
This visit also builds on a new era in Canada-Europe partnership, from the launch of the Strategic Partnership of the Future and the Security and Defence Partnership in June to a new industrial policy dialogue in July - deepening cooperation on security, resilience, and clean growth.
