Report from the Seventh CETA Civil Society Forum

March 18 and 19, 2025, Brussels (and via videoconference)

Joint report

The Seventh Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) Civil Society Forum (CSF) was hosted by the European Union (EU) in Brussels in a hybrid format on 18 and 19 March 2025, with participants from across the EU and Canada, including businesses, environmental and labour organizations, civil society, as well as academia.

Summary of session I: Roadmap for women’s rights

The EU and Canada presented recent policy developments on gender during this session. The EU introduced its new Roadmap for Women’s Rights, that was published on 7 March 2025. The roadmap drives the gender equality agenda forward and brings a long-term political vision to advance women’s rights. Canada shared several initiatives on gender including its leading and proactive role in the Global Trade and Gender Arrangement (GTAGA), bringing a strong commitment to inclusive trade and gender-responsive policy. Canada highlighted its engagement with the Equal Pay International Coalition and invited Member States and organizations to join. It further noted ongoing efforts to address gendered aspects of occupational health and safety, including gender-responsive personal protective equipment.

Both Canada and the EU acknowledged their shared priorities in advancing gender equality, including through the CETA Trade and Gender Recommendation. The discussion was notably dynamic, with civil society participants posing a range of questions on gender-related policies beyond the scope of trade. Civil society also raised concerns about the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in certain countries, and the potential implications within domestical political landscapes and across multilateral frameworks

Summary of session II: Trade diversification: Challenges and opportunities for cooperation

The trade diversification session, led by civil society representatives, provided an opportunity to discuss concerns and recommendations regarding the future of Canada-EU trade relations. The forum highlighted shared concerns about rising protectionism and the risks of overdependence on limited markets. Civil society emphasized that CETA's continued relevance depends on its ability to effectively integrate and uphold commitments on sustainability, labour rights, gender equality, and inclusive economic development. They emphasized that diversification should extend beyond market expansion to strengthen and advance economic resilience and strategic priorities in Trade and Sustainable Development.

The EU and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging CETA’s existing mechanisms to promote trade diversification while remaining open to exploring complementary initiatives. They also welcomed input from the Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) on ways to further enhance the Agreement’s implementation.

Summary of session III: EU study on the impact of EU FTAs on key environmental factors including climate

During this session, the EU presented its study, announced in the 2021 Communication “Trade Policy Review – An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy.” The study responds to public concerns about the interplay between EU trade policy and the environmental ambitions set out in the EU Green Deal, aiming to assess how trade agreements align with and support climate and sustainability goals.

While the study acknowledges caveats and limitations, its overall assessment is positive, indicating that the implementation of environmental provisions in FTAs has made meaningful contributions to environment and climate outcomes in the five key cross-cutting parameters, including fostering regulatory cooperation. Notably, the inclusion of environmental provisions in FTAs has not resulted to any weakening of environmental or climate standards among EU partner countries as a means to promote trade or attract investment. The study is supported by twenty case studies that provide valuable insights into the environmental and climate impacts of the FTAs, as well as their direct and indirect influence on trade and investment relationships with the respective countries.

Summary of session IV: Aligning environmental sustainability with economic growth

Environmental and climate-related discussions revealed commendable progress at the domestic level. Canada highlighted the wide range of policies it has implemented in recent years to support economic decarbonization, including a national carbon pricing framework, Clean Electricity Regulations, Methane Regulations, and the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard. In response to a request from civil society representatives, specifically the Canadian Environment Domestic Advisory Group, Canada also provided information on recent domestic developments related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and efforts to address greenwashing. The EU raised the importance of circular economy and the progress it has made with recent policies such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Packaging and Packaging Waste regulations. The EU further shared information on its new Competitiveness Compass and Clean Industrial Deal, aimed at aligning decarbonization efforts with promoting competitive industry. The Parties also discussed recent developments related to the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and shared updates on their respective 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Civil society representatives observed that current climate and environmental efforts remain loosely connected to trade, noting the absence of mechanisms to measure emissions impacts stemming from trade agreements such as CETA. This disconnect prompted some participants to advocate for the development of carbon accounting tools, improved climate metrics in trade reviews, and stronger alignment between trade facilitation and environmental policy implementation. In this context Domestic Advisory Groups (DAGs) called emphasized the need for deeper integration of environmental considerations into trade provisions, proposing tools like carbon accounting to help monitor and assess their impacts.

Summary of session V: Trade-relevant labour policy developments

Labour rights were another core area of focus amid growing concerns about the global backsliding of worker protections. While the EU and Canada presented robust frameworks encompassing technical assistance, capacity building, and collaboration with the ILO to support the enforcement of, and compliance of fundamental labour standards, the DAGs emphasized that safeguards for workers lay in the enforceability of these labour commitments. The Canadian Labour DAG warned against a "race to the bottom" in standards, advocating instead for a “race to the top” through responsible, inclusive, and values-based trade.

Summary of concluding remarks

Members of the DAGs members emphasized that CETA’s long-term success depends not only on its commercial achievements but also on how effectively it enforces sustainability commitments. Proposals such as the Clean Trade and Investment Partnership were highlighted as potential frameworks to guide diversification while preserving social and environmental integrity. DAGs encouraged the EU and Canada to continue their dialogue on strengthening the enforceability of the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters.

Finally, participants also reflected on the evolving role of DAGs, noting that their function has expanded beyond consultation to encompass monitoring, shaping, and enforcement of CETA’s trade and sustainable development dimensions. Amid growing geopolitical uncertainty, the forum underscored the imperative for trade agreements like CETA to uphold both economic relevance and social responsibility.