Security and defence partnership between the European Union and Canada

Preface

1. The European Union (EU) and Canada face a deteriorating security environment and must tackle common threats and challenges together. Our security is interconnected and interdependent. It is not limited to traditional military and defence-related issues, but is increasingly multidimensional, ranging from the rapidly evolving cyber, emerging tech and hybrid threats to maritime and outer space, including the protection of critical infrastructure, societal resilience, and economic security.
2. The EU and Canada are closely aligned partners in their adherence to international law and are united to uphold and strengthen the rules-based international order, based on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter. Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights underpin the cooperation between the EU and Canada.
3. The EU and Canada are also key and strategic partners in security and defence. As highlighted in the EU Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, the EU - Canada "long-standing cooperation in security and defence demonstrates our joint commitment to peace and security." The Statement of the EU and Canada Leaders’ Meeting of November 2023 in St. John’s welcomes “increased Canada-EU cooperation on security and defence”, including through further deepening our cooperation by enhancing our security and defence dialogue, identifying opportunities for joint naval activities and strengthened collaboration on cyber security and the climate–security nexus.
4. Canada is an active third state participant in the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Since 2005, Canada has a Framework Participation Agreement with the EU as well as a Security of Information Agreement (in force since 2018). Canada has been a consistent contributor to EU-led crisis management missions and operations, including Operation EUFOR Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to numerous EU civilian missions in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Africa, and Asia.
5. Canada also participates in the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects on Military Mobility and Network of Logistic Hubs in Europe and Support to Operations. The Council of the EU authorised the participation of Canada in these projects in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Canada’s participation in these projects contributes to the swift and seamless movement of military personnel and materiel across Europe.
6. Canada was the first partner with which the EU established a dedicated Security and Defence Dialogue in 2015, held annually since then. Both Canada and the EU have a long track record of mutual participation in key security-related events, along with frequent high-level security and defence consultations and related thematic dialogues on areas such as Arms Export Control, Non-Proliferation, Counter-Terrorism, and Sanctions. Canada is also a valued actor and partner in deterrence and defence, as well as in the fields of peace mediation, conflict prevention, and particularly in progressing the Women, Peace and Security agenda.
7. In the current security environment, the mutually reinforcing EU-NATO strategic partnership is essential for Euro-Atlantic security. This partnership is implemented in line with the agreed guiding principles of mutual openness and transparency, inclusiveness and reciprocity, in full respect of the decision-making autonomy and procedures of both organisations. The EU’s security and defence initiatives contribute to a stronger, more sovereign and more capable European defence that enhances European, transatlantic, and global security. They are also complementary to, and interoperable with NATO. For Canada and the 23 EU Member States that are also NATO Allies, the Atlantic Alliance remains the foundation of their collective defence. Canada is an important NATO Ally, committed to transatlantic and European security, and a dedicated supporter of mutually reinforcing cooperation between the EU and NATO in addressing transatlantic security challenges. Canada supports further strengthening and deepening EU-NATO cooperation to the benefit of European and transatlantic security. Therefore, Canada’s association with the EU’s security and defence activities aims to underpin the mutually reinforcing EU-NATO strategic partnership.
8. In the light of shared foreign and security policy challenges, including Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU and Canada are also closely aligned in their firm and enduring support to Ukraine. The EU and Canada wish to intensify their cooperation to better meet shared security challenges. In this context, the EU and Canada will develop and strengthen dialogue and cooperation across the whole range of security and defence topics, making use of existing frameworks, notably the EU-Canada Strategic Partnership Agreement (provisionally applied since 1 April 2017) and the EU-Canada Framework Participation Agreement in EU crisis management missions and operations (entered into force on 1 December 2005).

General Framework

9. The EU and Canada have decided to establish and implement a tailor-made, mutually beneficial partnership that will frame bilateral dialogue and cooperation across the full security and defence spectrum. This Security and Defence Partnership will be underpinned by a series of dialogue and consultation mechanisms to provide steering and oversight:
   1. A dedicated annual Security and Defence Dialogue between the EU and Canada, at the level of EEAS Deputy Secretary General, 抖淫视频 Assistant Deputy Minister for International Security and Political Director, and Department of National Defence Assistant Deputy Minister. The EU and Canada will make full use of this Security and Defence Dialogue to ensure monitoring of the implementation of the Security and Defence Partnership and provide further guidance as appropriate.
   2. Existing and new thematic dialogues on specific domains of shared interest, including assessments of the security landscape and consultations on threats in the regions of common interest to coordinate their respective approaches and inform the annual Security and Defence Dialogue.
10. The EU and Canada will promote multilateral dialogue and cooperation with like-minded countries in relevant areas of security and defence where considered mutually beneficial. The EU and Canada will also regularly invite their representatives to high-level security and defence policy events of mutual interest (e.g. Schuman Security and Defence Forum, Halifax International Security Forum).
11. The EU and Canada will effectively ensure the safety of the exchange of classified information in accordance with the Security of Information Agreement between the European Union and Canada (in force since 2018), which provides the framework for ensuring the appropriate handling, protection and safeguarding of such information.

Areas of Cooperation

12. The EU and Canada will enhance exchanges on respective developments in security and defence matters and relevant regional security and geopolitical issues and remain open to enhanced cooperation when mutually agreed. They will also expand cooperation in areas such as:

Support to Ukraine

13. The EU and Canada will strengthen and enhance their collaboration for long-term support of Ukraine, in line with the EU-Ukraine joint security commitments and the 2024 Agreement on security cooperation between Canada and Ukraine. The EU and Canada will work together to promote a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace, based on the principles of the international law, the UN Charter and the relevant UN General Assembly Resolutions.
14. The EU and Canada will explore areas for cooperation between the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM) and Canada’s military assistance, professionalisation and capacity building efforts in Ukraine, including through Operation UNIFIER where appropriate. The EU and Canada will also continue to support Ukraine’s civilian security sector and law enforcement reform, as well as the security and stabilisation efforts, i.a. through the cooperation between the EU Advisory Mission (EUAM) and the Canadian Police Mission to Ukraine.
15. In support of common objectives, the EU and Canada will continue to cooperate on civil reconstruction, financial support, and sanctions policy.
16. EU-Canada cooperation in support of Ukraine will fully respect the security and defence policy of certain EU Member States and will take into account the security and defence interests of all EU Member States and Canada.

International peace and crisis management, including peacekeeping operations, CSDP (Common Security and Defence Policy) missions and operations, and crisis response

17. The EU and Canada will further strengthen their longstanding cooperation in the field of security and crisis management. Canada will continue and expand its participation in the EU CSDP civilian and military missions and operations, making full use of its Framework Participation Agreement with the EU.
18. Canada will continue its participation in the EU’s crisis management exercises (EU Integrated Resolve and MILEX) and other relevant exercises, such as in the area of Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations.
19. The EU and Canada will exchange on respective contributions and support to UN peacekeeping operations.
20. The EU and Canada will promote and strengthen cooperation in emergency planning and international crisis management between their respective headquarters and across their networks of diplomatic missions abroad, including through enhanced collaboration between their crisis response centres: the EEAS Crisis Response Centre and 抖淫视频’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre.

Military Mobility and Interoperability

21. The EU and Canada will jointly endeavour to improve the interoperability and movement of Canadian and European military equipment, personnel, and supplies within Canada and the EU.
22. The EU and Canada will enhance Canadian military mobility across the European Union territory through expanded collaboration on the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project on military mobility as well as through other common projects.

Maritime security, including operations, exercises and capacity-building of third countries

23. The EU and Canada will deepen exchanges on maritime security with the aim of promoting and defending a rules-based maritime system, in line with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
24. The EU and Canada will also seek to cooperate in supporting the development of regional maritime security architectures in areas of mutual interest (e.g. Gulf of Guinea, IndoPacific) and of the capacities of coastal states to better address threats to maritime security and the sustainable development and exploitation of the maritime domain.
25. The EU and Canada will enhance practical cooperation in areas such as:
    1. CSDP operational cooperation, based on the Framework Participation Agreement in EU crisis management operations;
    2. Information sharing and enhanced coordination in responses to maritime security related threats and challenges
    3. Naval cooperation, also with the Canadian Coast Guard, including through joint exercises and port calls, also with the participation of selected third partners, on a case by case basis;
    4. Enhanced dialogue on the EU’s initiatives, and programmes in maritime domain, including through cooperation in the framework of the EU’s Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) initiative;
    5. Capacity building in the Indo-Pacific region using relevant EU and Canadian programs, such as the Enhancing security cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA), the Shared Ocean Fund under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the EU Critical Maritime Routes Indo-Pacific (CRIMARIO), and Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection programme.

EU and Canada defence initiatives, including exchange of information on defence industrial related matters

26. The EU and Canada will conduct regular exchanges on the development of respective security and defence initiatives, including on defence readiness and defence industry.
27. Canada and the EU will explore possible mutual involvement in respective defence initiatives in accordance with the respective legal frameworks.
28. In the context of Canada’s participation in PESCO projects, Canada and the EU are committed to strengthening co-operation to enhance military mobility and logistics. Future discussions may explore opportunities for Canada's potential involvement in additional PESCO projects, in line with the general conditions under which third States can exceptionally be invited to participate in individual PESCO projects.
29. Possibilities for establishing an Administrative Arrangement between the Department of National Defence of Canada and the European Defence Agency (EDA) will also be explored, in accordance with respective processes.

Cyber issues

30. The EU and Canada will continue to enhance cooperation on cyber issues in the context of international security, by leveraging existing EU-Canada cyber consultations, including through the enhancement of regular exchanges on the cyber threat landscape, on artificial intelligence, and on their respective policy frameworks. The EU and Canada will also increase the coordination of cyber capacity building efforts for partner countries. The EU and Canada will also exchange on tools and best practices to prevent, deter, and respond to malicious cyber activities, and will coordinate diplomatic responses to such activities.
31. The EU and Canada will continue to coordinate and cooperate at the multilateral, regional, and bilateral levels (notably on the next steps of the UN Convention against cybercrime and on the promotion of the UN framework of responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and on the establishment of a UN Cyber Programme of Action to this end) and on the development and implementation of cyber confidence building measures.

Countering hybrid threats, strengthening preparedness and resilience 

32. The EU and Canada will deepen their cooperation on research and analyses of hybrid threats, including by supporting close cooperation between their academic institutions, research entities, think tanks, and by supporting the work of the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats located in Finland.
33. The EU and Canada will increase the sharing of best practices in developing strategies and policies, including coordinating diplomatic responses to hybrid threats, and will increase cross-participation in relevant exercises and scenario-based discussions as appropriate.
34. The EU and Canada will strengthen consultations on their respective approaches and the development of policies towards countering hybrid threats to mitigate disruptions to their critical infrastructures, including digital networks, energy production, and underwater infrastructure.
35. The EU and Canada will enhance their cooperation to strengthen societal resilience, which is essential in addressing emerging challenges and threats to the well-being of their societies, their national cohesion, and to shared democratic values.

Addressing Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)

36. The EU and Canada will keep developing ongoing bilateral and multilateral exchanges on FIMI and will expand towards more structured, operational, and impactful cooperation.
37. The EU and Canada will proactively share information on threats assessments in the FIMI domain and, if and as appropriate, consider joint action against FIMI perpetrators, either bilaterally or via relevant multilateral mechanisms such as the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism.

Counterterrorism (CT), preventing/countering violent extremism (P/CVE)

38. The EU and Canada Dialogue on Counterterrorism will be held on a regular basis. The EU and Canada will cooperate on CT related matters and the prevention of violent extremism by designing activities for greater interaction between CT-P/CVE entities. These could include addressing the online dimension of radicalisation and the dissemination of terrorist content online, also across youth platforms, discussing the misuse of new and emerging technologies for terrorism and countering terrorist financing, the manipulation of gendered narratives in radicalization, and exchanging views on the community policing approach to countering violent extremism.

39. The EU and Canada will coordinate their CT-P/CVE policies and activities in multilateral and regional fora.

Arms Control, Non-Proliferation, Disarmament, conventional arms, including small arms and light weapons (SALW)

40. The EU and Canada will further deepen consultations on arms control and disarmament, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass-destruction, and the international transfer of conventional weapons, building on the well-established dialogue on arms and dual use exports. The EU and Canada will also further exchange views on the responsible use of Artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain and on lethal autonomous weapons systems.
41. The EU and Canada will promote shared awareness on key issues related to disarmament and non-proliferation.
42. The EU and Canada will deepen their coordination in the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and other key multilateral instruments and export control regimes. The EU and Canada will deepen their coordination in the framework of conventional weapons treaties; including the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the Ottawa Convention, and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), without prejudging national positions in this regard.

Space security 

43. The EU and Canada will address space security in the framework of their annual Security and Defence Dialogue, with the aim to ensure a safe, secure, stable and sustainable space.
44. The EU and Canada will coordinate to promote norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviour in outer space in bilateral and multilateral fora (including at the United Nations), and will engage with third countries to advance this goal.

Emerging and Disruptive Technologies

45. The EU and the Canada will exchange on security and resilience of emerging disruptive technologies, including the development of international governance efforts on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in security and defence.

Capacity building for partners in security and defence

46. Building on their well-established cooperation, the EU and Canada will explore further opportunities for coordination, cooperation and synergies in support of capacity building for partners in the field of security and defence, including through potential Canadian engagement with dedicated EU instruments such as the European Peace Facility.

Training and education in security and defence

47. The EU and Canada will continue cooperation in the field of training and education related to CSDP and crisis management, including developing cooperation with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC). Canada is welcome to send participants to ESDC activities.
48. Furthermore, the EU and Canada will explore opportunities to enhance cooperation within the framework of the ESDC Associated Network Partners (ANP), which allows Canadian institutions to co-organise training and education activities in collaboration with a full member of the ESDC Network.

Cooperation in third countries and multilateral fora

49. EU Delegations and Canadian Missions and Embassies in third countries will seek further opportunities to cooperate closely and exchange information bilaterally, as appropriate, as well as within likeminded groups, in areas relevant to the Security and Defence Partnership.
50. The EU and Canada will further strengthen cooperation and regular consultations on multilateral affairs, including on matters related to the United Nations.
51. The EU and Canada will also increase regular exchanges on issues of mutual interest in the context of EU-NATO cooperation in order to build upon a common set of concrete actions in strengthening partners’ capacities.

Peace mediation and conflict prevention

52. The EU and Canada will explore cooperation on peace mediation and conflict prevention, including cooperation in the field of CSDP, as well as - among others - cooperate on the provision of joint support to third states, and the sharing of best practices and methodologies.
53. The EU and Canada will enhance their coordination on shared priorities in peace and conflict prevention in multilateral fora, notably in the OSCE and UN contexts.

Climate change and security nexus

54. The EU and Canada will strengthen their cooperation on the climate change and security nexus by addressing the security implications of climate-related impact on infrastructure, equipment, training and readiness, operations, policy, and planning. The EU and Canada will also discuss ways to enhance the resilience of vulnerable regions, and share knowledge and best practices on integrating climate considerations into their defence, security, and civil protection strategies, without compromising operational capabilities and effectiveness. The EU and Canada will advance this cooperation by exploring a Climate-Security Dialogue as an effective mechanism for closer collaboration on collecting and sharing climate data and analysis.
55. The NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence (CCASCOE), of which Canada is the host country and Framework nation, provides a platform for the EU and Canada to exchange expertise and build capacity to better understand and address the security impacts of climate change.

External aspects of economic security 

56. The EU and Canada will explore ways to exchange views on external aspects of their respective economic and energy security policies related to security and defence, with the aim to address shared risks. The Canada - EU Economic Security Dialogue is the platform for this cooperation to advance strategic and technical discussions related to key economic security issues. This includes energy security, strengthening the resilience of supply chains and ensuring the secure sourcing of critical minerals essential for defence, and their economic and technological security, as well as protecting our most sensitive research and technology, while promoting stability and supporting efforts to ensure the rules-based multilateral trading system is modernised and fit for purpose in addressing emerging challenges.

External aspects of human security 

57. The EU and Canada will enhance collaboration on the crisis-related aspects of human security, including the protection of vulnerable populations and the provision of humanitarian assistance in conflict situations.
58. The EU and Canada will also explore opportunities for cooperation in addressing the external dimension of the fight against transnational organised crime, including external aspects of human trafficking, migrants smuggling and narcotic drugs.

Women, Peace and Security

59. The EU and Canada are committed to the full implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, which is rooted in United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 and its nine follow-up resolutions.
60. The EU and Canada will ensure that a gender perspective is integrated in all their areas of cooperation on security and defence, recognising that there are gendered aspects to all areas of security and defence, including disarmament and non-proliferation, cyber security, AI, climate change, human security, peace mediation, space security, countering violent extremism, and crisis response. The EU and Canada will exchange best practices and lessons learned on implementing the WPS agenda, within Canada, the EU and abroad.
61. The EU and Canada will continue close collaboration to ensure gender equality remains a political and security priority, with an aim to reinforce joint whole-of-society responses to current and emerging security and geopolitical shifts and advocate in this regard in international fora. This includes collaborating to counter setbacks against the rights of girls and women, gender equality, and women’s meaningful participation in decision-making.

Way Forward

62. The areas identified in the Security and Defence Partnership will be reviewed regularly in the framework of the annual EU Canada Security and Defence Dialogue, taking stock of progress made and providing impetus, with a view to further strengthening and developing the cooperation.
63. The content of the Security and Defence Partnership will be reviewed as appropriate.