Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on the margins of the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen reiterated the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and looked forward to continuing to work together to advance shared priorities, such as collaboration on artificial intelligence and research and innovation, including through Horizon Europe.
The leaders also discussed the importance of close co-ordination between Canada and the EU on economic interests, including advancing work on critical minerals and addressing concerns related to overcapacity and other non-market policies and practices. The Prime Minister noted the EU’s efforts to counter these issues, including plans to impose new auto tariffs on China.
The Prime Minister applauded the EU on the successful implementation of the European Parliament elections. He recognized the importance of ensuring this critical democratic process on such a wide scale and in the face of challenges including foreign interference.
The two leaders reiterated their commitment to stand with Ukraine and emphasized the importance of global solidarity in support of a just and sustainable peace. They looked forward to participating in the upcoming Summit on Peace in Ukraine, to be held on June 15 to 16, 2024, in Switzerland.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen agreed to remain in close contact and looked forward to seeing each other again soon.