READ OUT: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister meets with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, and Cecilia Malmström, EU Trade Commissioner

June 26, 2018 - Brussels, Belgium - Global Affairs Canada

Prior to attending the Ukraine Reform Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia Freeland, met with Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission (HR/VP), and Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade, in Brussels, Belgium. The Minister attended a trilateral working lunch and also held bilateral meetings separately with the Commissioner and the HR/VP.

The Minister and the EU representatives reiterated it is essential that we preserve and renew the rules-based international order, including rules-based trade.

The Minister and HR/VP Mogherini also discussed issues of shared concern, such as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, the importance of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the case of Maryam Mombeini, as well as the upcoming Ukraine Reform Conference. The Minister thanked HR/VP Mogherini for her participation and engagement at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Toronto in April 2018. They also discussed the upcoming women foreign ministers’ meeting, which they will co-host in Canada later this year.

The Minister and Commissioner Malmström discussed developments in international trade and continued collaboration between Canada and the EU. The two also took stock of the latest developments related to the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

The Minister and the EU representatives committed to continue working together to protect and promote shared values and interests, such as support for democracy and human rights, including gender equality.