European External Action Service

01/23/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/23/2023 10:25

European Union Ambassador to Canada makes first official visit to British Columbia

OTTAWA - Dr. Melita Gabrič, Ambassador of the European Union to Canada, travels to Vancouver on a two-day official visit to the western province. The visit comes at a time when the European Union seeks to diversify its sources of energy and critical minerals, and accelerate the green transition.

This is Ambassador Gabrič's first official visit to British Columbia since she began her mandate at the helm of the Delegation of the European Union to Canada in February 2021.

During the visit, Ambassador Gabrič will meet with B.C. Premier, the Hon. David Eby. Ambassador Gabrič will also sit down with the Hon. George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy.

"Our goal is to continue to build on the strong EU-Canada foundation and ensure open and reliable supply chains. We are looking to deepen our cooperation in a number of strategic areas, such as energy, raw minerals and clean tech," said Ambassador Gabrič. "Our economies rely more than ever on international trade with trusted partners. That's why we need to make the most of our trade deal, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)."

Highlights of the visit also include meetings with business leaders and the EU consular community in Vancouver. Ambassador Gabrič will take the opportunity to speak at the University of British Columbia about the implications of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine and the current geopolitical challenges on the EU's foreign policy, including the Indo-Pacific.

The visit highlights the importance of Canadian provinces and territories to the EU-Canada relationship and the key role they play in the CETA context. Despite the pandemic, two-way trade in goods between the EU and Canada increased by 31% over the past five years, reaching 60.7 billion euros in 2021. Thanks to CETA, the EU and Canada are better prepared to deal with the current geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, food insecurity, the global energy crisis and the emerging economic recessions.

About the Delegation of the European Union to Canada
Established in 1976, the European Union Delegation to Canada is a fully-fledged diplomatic mission and, as such, the natural contact point in Canada between the EU and the Canadian authorities. It also has a strong public diplomacy mandate designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the European Union as well as EU-Canada relations.