CERT Origins, Business and Politics

Round Table Meetings

• 16 June 1999 Launch Event
• 16 December 1999
• 20 December 2000
• 18 December 2001
• 8 May 2002
• 19 December 2002

December 16, 1999
CERT Endorsed by Transatlantic Heavyweights

The Canada Europe Round Table for Business (CERT) has received ringing endorsements for its prominent role in the Canada - European Union business dialogue.

Pascal Lamy, Commissioner responsible for Trade, The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Canadian Minister of International Trade and The Hon. Kimmo Sasi, Finnish Minister for Foreign Trade & European Affairs (representing the Finnish Presidency of the EU) complemented CERT for its efforts in promoting trade liberalisation between Canada and the European Union at the second CERT Round Table in Ottawa on 16 December 1999.

  

Photo one from left: unidentified, European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy, Canadian Minister for International Trade Pierre Pettigrew

Photo two from left: Alcan Executive VP Dan Gagnier, Minister Pettigrew, Commissioner Lamy, Secretary to the Board of Novartis AG Dr. Max Kaufmann, Minister for Foreign Trade & European Affairs The Hon. Kimo Sasi, former CERT Executive Director Jan Candries.

The message from the Ministers was clear: CERT is a valuable forum through which Canadian and European businesses can engage the Canadian government and the European Union institutions on trade and investment issues.

The positive endorsement of CERT was further strengthened by the Round Table's founding member Daniel Gagnier, Vice President of Alcan, who stated: "We are at an important juncture in the evolution of the world trading system and there is not a more important moment for constructive and intelligent dialogue. Indeed, dialogue is the central mission of CERT: dialogue among senior business leaders, Canadian and European, and dialogue among business leaders and governments."

Minister Pettigrew and Commissioner Lamy expressed the need for a sectoral and issue-based business dialogue such as CERT to move the bilateral and multilateral trade agenda forward and focus on the positive benefits of globalisation through increased trade.

Following the successful launch of CERT at its first Round Table meeting in Brussels in June of last year, the Ottawa meeting received the written responses of the EU and Canadian Governments to the CERT policy recommendations of 1999. Commissioner Lamy and Trade Minister Pettigrew pointed out that CERT's efforts were a useful and necessary part of the policy-making process undertaken by both sides.