This past January, we speculated in a campaign blog that the Canada-European Union annual summit would take place in Canada this spring. Given that those months have now passed, it appears that the annual summit will take place sometime this fall, perhaps in October or November.
Over the past number of years, the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement has figured prominently in the summit agenda, as has the financial situation, energy security, climate change, international peace and security, and development issues.
Those attending last year’s summit included the President of the European Council (Herman von Rompuy), the President of the European Commission (Jose Manuel Barroso), the European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (Catherine Ashton), Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and then-Trade Minister Peter Van Loan.
These annual summits have taken place in Brussels (2010), Prague (2009), Quebec City (2008), Berlin (2007), Niagara-on-the-Lake (2006), and numerous times in Ottawa (2004, 2002, 2001, 2000). They have often taken place in the spring, but as recently as 2008 the summit took place in October.
A campaign blog on the last Canada-EU summit can be read at http://canadians.org/campaignblog/?p=3485.
