EU-Canada Summit: Reaffirmed commitment to strategic partnership

At the end of the summit, the heads of state and government agreed on a joint statement expressing their shared commitment to promoting mobility and recognition, among others in higher education and research, through initiatives such as Erasmus+, the European Research Council, and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, as well as to boosting their research and technological cooperation. 

The joint statement emphasises support for the existing EU-Canada Digital Partnership (Link) and holds out the prospect of a first Digital Partnership Council at the end of this year. The council’s priorities will include strengthening research cooperation in strategic technologies. 

Through the Digital Partnership and the EU-Canada Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement, research and industrial collaboration will be supported in areas such as research security, artificial intelligence, quantum sciences, cybersecurity, and climate change. Furthermore, the partnership between the EU and Canada is set to be deepened through Canada’s association with Horizon Europe and a possible participation in the upcoming 10th Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10).