We benefit from mutual commercial and foreign policy interests, which flow from our common commitment to multilateralism, free and inclusive trade, innovation, and the rules-based international order. Our citizens have significant person-to-person ties, underpinned by immigration past and present.
The Royal Family gifted Canada a multitude of tulip bulbs in recognition of these wartime links. The ties forged during the Second World War led to significant people-to-people links. About one million people of Dutch origin now reside in Canada, representing 3 percent of the Canadian population. This visit also marked the first time a Dutch prime minister delivered an address to the Canadian Parliament.
It is a country with a deep history of commerce, representing a gateway to Europe across the spectrum of trade, investment, and technology exchange. Much of this investment originates in third countries and simply passes through the Netherlands. The country has a highly cosmopolitan, well-educated and diverse workforce and is in an advantageous geographic position within Europe and the European Union.
The provisional application of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement CETA started on September 21, , at which time all economically significant parts of the agreement entered into force. A Science, Technology and Innovation Partnership Agreement, and a bilateral Hydrogen Memorandum of Understanding, provide frameworks for further expanding commercial collaboration.
In , the Permanent Court of Arbitration was established to help resolve international disputes, and The Hague Conventions of and were among the first international treaties addressing the laws of war and war crimes. The Hague is home to the policing institution, Europol, and to the European justice institution, Eurojust, as well as many prominent international courts, tribunals, and legal mechanisms including:. Canada supports these institutions and their important work to strengthen peaceful methods of conflict resolution, to bolster international efforts to end impunity, and to promote respect for human rights, good governance, multilateral efforts to combat atrocity crimes, and international law as a basis upon which States work to resolve disputes.
