Meeting of the Bilateral Dialogue on Raw Materials

June 21, 2021 (by videoconference)

Joint report

The fourth meeting of the Bilateral Dialogue on Raw Materials established under Article 25.4 of CETA took place in a digital format on June 21, 2021, hosted by Canada.

1. Opening remarks and policy updates

Policy updates focused on the latest developments on raw materials’ policy and strategies from both parties, including:

• Update from Natural Resources Canada on the post-pandemic recovery, Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan, release of the critical mineral list, Budget 2021 announcements, new policies and initiatives from provinces and territories, and Mines-to-Mobility initiative to build Canada’s battery value chain. 
• Update from European Commission on the updated industrial strategy, proposed batteries regulations, sustainable product initiative, Fit for 55 package of energy and climate laws, and upcoming legislative proposal on sustainable corporate governance.

2. Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials

Both parties provided an overview of the partnership goals, areas of cooperation and adoption of the action plan for 2021-2022.

The overarching goal of the strategic partnership is to advance the value, security, and sustainability of trade and investment into resilient raw material and downstream value chains between Canada and the EU. It comprises three areas of collaboration: (1) integration of Canada-EU raw materials value chains; (2) science, technology, and innovation collaboration; and (3) environmental, social, and governance criteria and standards. This partnership is established within the mandate of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

The framework of the partnership was adopted after its political endorsement at the EU-Canada Summit, on June 14-15, 2021.

The first year activities under the partnership were discussed, with time for interventions from member states, provinces and territories.

3. Coordination in international fora

Both parties consider the Trilateral EU-US-Japan Conference on Critical Materials an important forum and welcome Canada’s participation in the newly expanded structure. Both parties recognized the need to ensure alignment between the Trilateral and other dialogues that are increasingly focusing on critical minerals, such as the G7.

To support the agreed priority of strengthening cooperation on international standards for raw materials, both parties discussed progress on the development of International Standards Organisation (ISO) standards for critical minerals.

Closing remarks and next steps

Both parties agreed to use this dialogue to track progress of the Strategic Partnership on Raw Materials, and to continue leveraging it to collaborate. The next meeting of the dialogue is anticipated for fall 2022.

Participants

European Commission

DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)

DG TRADE

DG Research and Innovation (DG RTD)

European External Action Service (EEAS)

DG International Partnerships (DG INTPA)

DG Energy (DG ENER)

Joint Research Centre (JRC)

EU Delegation to Canada

European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA)

Member States

Belgium, Government of Flanders

Belgium, Direction générale des Analyses économiques et de l’Economie internationale

Germany, International Raw Materials Unit in the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy

Finland, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland

Ireland, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications

Poland, Ministerstwo Rozwoju, Pracy i Technologii

Poland, Ministry of Climate and Environment

Poland, Geological Survey of Poland

Portugal, Direção Geral de Energia e Geologia

Sweden, Geological Survey of Sweden

Government of Canada

Natural Resources Canada, Lands and Minerals Sector; Strategic Policy and Innovation Sector

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Global Affairs Canada

Provincial governments

Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Geological Survey

Ontario, Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines

Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Industry, Energy and Technology

New Brunswick, Minerals and Resource Development/Natural Resources and Energy Development

Quebec, Ministry of Economy and Innovation

Alberta, Jobs, Economy and Innovation

Manitoba, Resource Development

British Columbia, Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

Other

European Raw Materials Alliance