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2nd LD Writethru: EU, Canada sign strategic partnership agreement

Xinhua, October 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) and Canada on Sunday signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) at the EU-Canada summit here, upgrading the existing cooperation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the signing ceremony with European leaders.

Negotiations for the SPA launched in 2011, alongside the bilateral trade deal. The two sides initialed the agreement in 2014.

Around two-thirds of the agreement will enter into effect on a provisional basis after the signature, while the remaining parts will only enter into effect upon ratification by all EU member states.

A joint declaration issued after the summit said the agreement will "enrich the political dimension of relationship and allow for more cooperation" in sectors, including peace and security, migration, the fight against terrorism, energy, climate change, research and innovation, development and consular protection.

With the signing of the agreement, the EU and Canada will deepen cooperation on foreign policy.

In the declaration, the leaders reiterated the need for a complete implementation of the Minsk agreements to stabilize the situation in Ukraine and called for a cessation of hostilities and efforts to find a political solution in Syria. Endit