Prime Minister to travel to Paris and Brussels to strengthen transatlantic co-operation and advance global progress on AI

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 5, 2025 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to Paris, France, and to Brussels, Belgium, from February 8 to 12, 2025, to strengthen transatlantic co-operation and advance global progress on artificial intelligence (AI).

In Paris, the Prime Minister will participate in the AI Action Summit hosted by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron. He will engage with leaders across business and public policy about how we can power the next generation of AI to unlock good-paying jobs and opportunities. Canada is at the centre of this shift, accelerating the innovation and economic potential of AI, while being thoughtful about navigating trust and safety. Seizing this moment is important for the future of Canadian innovation, economic productivity, and our economic security. At the Summit, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote speech underscoring Canada's role as a global leader in AI and highlight the importance of working in partnership to develop these technologies responsibly and safely.

As this year's G7 President, Canada is committed to working alongside international partners in the face of geopolitical instability and threats against the rules-based international order – challenges that have been accelerated by technology, disinformation, and climate change. On the margins of the Summit, Prime Minister Trudeau will meet with other world leaders to tackle these challenges and renew progress on shared priorities, including international trade, peace and security, and global economic stability.

Prime Minister Trudeau will then travel to Brussels for a Canada-European Union (EU) Leaders' Meeting, where he will join his EU counterparts to help secure a strong, prosperous future for people on both sides of the Atlantic. The leaders will discuss ways to advance our collective efforts to strengthen transatlantic security, protect the rules-based international order, continue supporting Ukraine, and create opportunities for our peoples, building on the success of the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). While in Brussels, the Prime Minister will also meet with the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mark Rutte, and reaffirm Canada's commitment to working with the Alliance to uphold democracy, peace, and security.

Throughout the trip, Prime Minister Trudeau will strengthen and deepen transatlantic co-operation, advance efforts to solve the world's most pressing challenges, and deliver on the priorities of Canadians.

Quote

"Transatlantic collaboration – in defence and security, in innovation and energy, in business and trade – are essential to Canada's success. In Paris and Brussels, we will strengthen Canada's alliances and partnerships, and put Canadians at the forefront of every opportunity, including artificial intelligence."

— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Quick Facts

• This will be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 11th official visit to France.
• France is a key ally for Canada on the international stage. France is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the G7, and the G20, as well as a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, a founding member of the European Union (EU), and a leading partner in La Francophonie.
• In 2023, France was Canada's third-largest merchandise export market in the EU and its 12th-largest trading partner globally, with two-way merchandise trade totalling $12.9 billion.
• The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit in Paris is the third global summit of its kind. It follows the AI Seoul Summit, which Prime Minister Trudeau attended virtually last year, and the AI Safety Summit that was hosted by the UK in 2023.
• Representatives from Canada's federal research granting agencies will be participating in the AI Action Summit.
• In Budget 2024, the Government of Canada announced a $2.4 billion package of measures to secure Canada's AI advantage. These investments will accelerate job growth in Canada's AI sector and beyond, boost productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly.
• This will be Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's sixth official visit to Belgium.
• Canada and the EU share a strong partnership and a long history of close people-to-people ties, commercial relations, and institutional co-operation. We work together on trade, international peace and security, digital innovation, the fight against climate change, and migration, among other priorities.
• With its 27 Member States, the EU as a group is Canada's second-largest destination for goods and services exports, after the United States of America. In 2023, trade between Canada and the EU reached a total of $157.3 billion in combined goods and services.
• The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed in 2016 and has been provisionally applied since 2017. Since then, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the EU has grown by more than 60 per cent.
• Canada is a founding member of NATO. The Alliance is a cornerstone of Canadian security and defence policy and an important platform for Canada's contributions to international peace and security.

Associated Links

• Canada-France relations
• AI Action Summit
• Canada and the European Union
• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
• Canada and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

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