Canada

The EU and Canada are among the largest traders of both goods and services in the world. In 2024, Canada was the EU's 12^th-largest destination for goods exports.

On 21 September 2017, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) provisionally entered into force. CETA is a modern and progressive EU trade agreement, which offers EU firms more and better business opportunities in Canada, supports jobs in Europe, and protects consumers and the environment, allowing entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes to benefit from improved market access opportunities.

Trade picture

• The value of trade in goods between the EU and Canada was €75.6 billion in 2024.
• In 2024, the EU had a positive trade balance with Canada of €20 billion in trade in goods.
• The EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner after the United States and ahead of China, accounting for 8% of its trade in goods with the world in 2023.
• Canada is the EU's 12^th largest goods trading partner and accounted for almost 1.4% of the EU's total external trade in goods in 2024.
• The top product categories for goods traded between the EU and Canada in 2024 were:
  • Machinery (24.4% of EU exports to Canada and 15% of its imports).
  • Chemical and pharmaceutical products (22.2% of EU exports and 19% of its imports).
  • Mineral products (26% of EU imports from Canada).
• Some of the largest services exported from the EU to Canada are travel, transport, and TCI (telecommunications, computing and information).
• Bilateral trade in services between the two parties is also increasing. In 2023, services exchanged between the two parties reached a total value of €44.4 billion, with a surplus for the EU of €6 billion.

The EU and Canada

The strong partnership between the EU and Canada is underpinned by several agreements and cooperation in a number of important areas.

• The EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA): The EU-Canada SPA provisionally entered into force in 2017. It seeks to deepen political dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Canada and to strengthen relations in fields such as human rights, international peace, economic and sustainable development, justice, freedom, and security.
• Green transition: The EU and Canada are both committed to tackling the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. They share the aim of becoming climate-neutral by 2050 and are strengthening efforts to accelerate the green transition. The EU-Canada Green Alliance established in 2023 will take bilateral cooperation to a new level, covering climate action, environmental and ocean protection, the clean energy transition, the green industrial transformation, research and innovation, and finance for climate and biodiversity measures. It builds on existing dialogue formats and joint achievements, such as the 2022 EU-Canada CETA Cleantech Summit, the 2021 EU-Canada Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials, and the Working Group on the Energy Transition and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) announced in 2022.  
• Digital transition: The EU and Canada have a long-standing dialogue on digital matters. The EU-Canada Digital Partnership, launched in 2023, reflects a shared vision for a digital economy and society at the service of people. The EU and Canada work together on such crucial areas such as artificial intelligence, secure international connectivity, cyber security, online platforms, digital identity and digital skills.
• Research and innovation: Formal relations between the EU and Canada in the field of research and innovation date back to 1996, with the signature of the Agreement on Cooperation In Scientific and Technological Cooperation. This agreement has provided a general framework for cooperation and acted as a forum for regular discussions about research priorities and areas of common interest. On July 3, 2024, the European Commission and the Government of Canada signed an agreement allowing Canada's enhanced participation in Horizon Europe under Pillar 2, the EU's key funding programme for research and innovation. Through this association, the EU and Canada will intensify scientific collaboration on shared global challenges, such as climate action, energy, the digital economy, and health.
• Support for Ukraine: The EU and Canada are co-founders of the G7 Multi-Agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine. Canada is also a Partner Country for EU’s sanctions against Russia, while Canadian companies are actively participating in the EU’s Solidarity Lanes initiative to facilitate exports from Ukraine.

Trading under CETA

The EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is a progressive trade agreement between the EU and Canada. It provisionally entered into force on 21 September 2017, meaning that most of the agreement applies today. The parts which are not yet in force can be found here. For CETA to enter into force fully and definitively, all national (and in some cases regional) parliaments in EU Member States need to approve the agreement. This process is still ongoing.

On 21 September 2017, Canada and the EU already abolished 98% of their tariff lines and agreed to gradually eliminate almost all remaining tariff lines. By 2024, 99% of all tariff lines have been abolished.

CETA brings benefits for people and businesses around Europe, by

• eliminating most customs duties and cutting red tape;
• making it easier for Europeans to work in Canada, and;
• ensuring EU companies’ access to the Canadian services market. 

Learn how EU trade deals give Europeans more and more opportunities. 

Committees and Dialogues

The EU and Canada meet regularly to discuss issues and best practices and oversee the proper functioning of the Agreement.

Technical committee meetings - agendas and reports

Trading with Canada

• Importing into the EU from Canada
  • EU trade defence measures on imports from Canada
• Exporting from the EU to Canada
  • Trade defence measures in force in Canada
• Trade relations are part of the EU's overall political and economic relations with Canada
• Canada is a member of the World Trade Organization