CETA is not the first agreement between Canada and the EU. Check out the table below to see the ones that came before it
| Name | Year | Description |
| Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy | 1959 | Canada and Euratom agree to work together to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy in order to improve the lives of their citizens |
| Bilateral Framework Agreement for Commercial and Economic Cooperation | 1976 | This establishes a direct link between Canada and the European Community and gives the two parties most favoured nation status with each other. They also establish more economic, technological, and environmental cooperation. |
| Transatlantic Declaration | 1990 | Established how Canada and the EU will consult with each other on economic, cultural, and scientific cooperation |
| Joint Canada-EU Political Declaration and Action Plan | 1996 | Outlined commitments to working together in many areas, including promoting democracy and the free market in post-communist Europe |
| Mutual Recognition Agreement | 1998 | Establishes good manufacturing practices for pharmaceuticals and mandatory conformity procedures in several industrial and technological sectors |
| Competition Agreement | 1999 | Established cooperation between the Canadian Competition Bureau and the European Commission |
| Veterinary Agreement | 1999 | Agreement on sanitary measures to protect public and animal health in respect of trade in live animals and animal products |
| Wine and Spirits Agreement | 2003 | Allowed for Canada and the EU to trade wine and spirits more freely |
| Canada-EU Partnership Agenda | 2004 | Both parties agree to cooperate and strengthen dialogue and contacts at the political level when it comes to international security, multilateralism, justice, and economics |
| EU-Canada Air Transport Agreement | 2009 | Under this agreement the European Aviation Safety Agency recognized certification of Canadian aviation products and services, allowing the Canadian aviation industry to be much more competitive in the European market |
| Strategic Partnership Agreement | 2016 | Under this Agreement, the EU-Canada Joint Ministerial Committee meets annually to review co-operation over the past year and to identify means of taking forward the collaborative bilateral dialogue |
(Source: Canada-EU Relations: An Overview)
As you can see, Canada and the EU spent a lot of time and effort to improve their relationship and the lives of their citizens. However, creating a comprehensive economic and trade agreement was not an easy task.
Click HERE to learn about the background process to CETA