Strasbourg, Feb 16 .- The Canadian prime minister told European lawmakers on Thursday that the relationship between his country and the European Union went beyond trade deals and was rooted in their shared values.

Justin Trudeau was addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, a day after its members voted to ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with Canada following years of negotiations, a decision he commended.

"CETA is not only about commerce, imports and exports, about profits. It aims to improve people's lives," said the Canadian PM.

He went on to say that the EU and Canada had common aspirations for a better and more secure world, adding that they must collectively lead the international economy and face future challenges together.

Trudeau acknowledged, however, that for a sizable trade deal like CETA to succeed, it must benefit the ordinary people and allay the anxieties that many people hold in regards to the modern economy.

"This anxiety towards the economy and trade can be addressed only if we ensure that trade is inclusive so that everyone benefits. And CETA delivers just that," he said.

He offered a warning to members of the EP: "if we are successful, CETA will become the blueprint for all ambitious, future trade deals. If we are not, this could very well be one of the last."

Trudeau pressed on the subject of the EU, saying that, for Canada, an EU voice on the world stage was not just preferable, but essential.

The EU project has been recently jeopardized in the wake of an upsurge in populist, anti-EU parties across the continent and the United Kingdom's decision to leave the bloc in a surprise referendum result.

Remarks made by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, suggesting he backed Brexit sparked alarm among the europhile camps in the EP, but were warmly welcomed by anti-EU figureheads such as Marine le Pen of France' National Front.

Trudeau was the first-ever Canadian PM to address the EP.

After Strasbourg, Trudeau was scheduled to head to Germany, where he is to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. (EFE)