Canada’s international trade minister met European counterparts in Dublin on October 22, ten years after Canada and the European Union signed their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. The meetings are intended to prepare work for the Canada–EU summit scheduled in Montreal on October 29 and 30.

Global Affairs Canada says two-way trade in goods and services reached about C$178.3 billion in 2025. It reports that merchandise trade has grown by more than 78 percent from pre-CETA levels and that Canadian merchandise exports to the EU rose almost 21 percent from January through August 2026. Those figures are government comparisons, not a measure of the agreement’s effect in isolation.

The Dublin agenda includes economic security, supply-chain resilience, clean technology, critical minerals and defence. Canada also plans to continue discussions on a digital trade agreement, which would seek more predictable rules and better interoperability for companies providing digital products and services across the Atlantic.

CETA has applied provisionally since September 2017, while ratification remains a matter for EU member states. The October 22 meetings did not announce a completed digital agreement or new tariff schedule. Their immediate significance is diplomatic and preparatory: officials are identifying areas for deeper cooperation before leaders meet in Montreal.