European Union and Canada to deepen ties with new security pact

(Patria) - The European Union is hosting a summit with Canada, aiming to deepen already close ties as both sides face increased geopolitical threats, including a hostile US President Donald Trump, Russia, and instability in the Middle East.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, who chairs EU summits, will welcome Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to the two-hour meeting in Brussels, a day before a NATO summit in The Hague, Reuters reported.

EU officials said the EU-Canada summit was not a "business as usual" meeting and marked a new era in bilateral relations.

The two allies, who already have a free trade agreement, are expected to agree on a security and defence partnership, the first the European bloc has concluded with a country from the Americas.

The partnership will include joint work on crisis management, cyber, maritime and space security, arms control, and support for Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022. It will pave the way for Canadian firms to the EU's €150 billion SAFE procurement programme.

The two sides are also expected to launch negotiations on a digital agreement designed to shape global rules for data, such as rules on electronic signatures and consumer protection or spam restrictions.

A draft joint statement refers to aligning standards in digital regulation to make online platforms safer and more inclusive, and artificial intelligence systems more trustworthy, areas of regulation where the United States has criticised the European Union.