Video message by President von der Leyen on 50 years of EU diplomatic presence in Canada

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today we celebrate 50 years of one of the closest partnerships in the world. The ties between Canada and Europe are as deep and enduring as the ocean that connects us.  

Nous partageons des langues, une culture et une histoire commune. Et aujourd'hui, nous sommes plus proches que jamais.

In these turbulent times, our closeness matters more than ever.

Because we are faced with the same challenges - wars, a global energy crisis, and new fractures in old alliances.

But we will face these challenges together, keeping our elbows up when needed, and our arms open to partners.

Since we signed our free trade agreement CETA, two-way trade has grown by 73%. Last year, Canada became the first non-European country to join our SAFE defence initiative.

À notre sommet à Bruxelles l'an dernier, nous avons réaffirmé notre partenariat durable, ancré dans un agenda ambitieux. Et cet automne, j'espère retourner au Canada pour encore renforcer notre partenariat.

I want to thank each and every one of you in the room for your cooperation and the work you have done to draw us closer together.

Forts de notre amitié et unis par des valeurs communes, tournons-nous ensemble vers les cinquante ans à venir.

Vive l'amitié et le partenariat entre le Canada et l'Union Européenne.