Trump lifts some Canada tariffs ahead of midterms

Ottawa — Canada and the European Union are engaged in ongoing negotiations for a digital trade agreement, with the objective of streamlining cross-border business transactions. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu traveled to Ireland to advance these discussions ahead of a pivotal summit scheduled for next week in Montreal.

In a recent statement, Sidhu expressed optimism that "we are nearing an agreement," highlighting the potential to reduce obstacles associated with electronic signatures, digital contracts, seamless paperless trade, secure data transfers, electronic commerce duties, and online retail. According to Sidhu, Canada recorded a remarkable $15 billion in digital services exports to the EU in 2024, signaling a significant opportunity to expand this trade relationship further through the proposed agreement.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has been actively pursuing stronger bilateral ties with Europe, with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen even proposing Canada as a potential associate member of the European Union. The two nations are anticipated to outline the forthcoming stages of their burgeoning partnership during the imminent Canada-EU Summit. This report, authored by The Canadian Press, was originally published on October 23, 2026.