A permanent trade deal is needed, an industry group said
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Canada has secured a trade agreement with a European country.
Canada and the United Kingdom have completed negotiations on Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement. This deal will be a placeholder as the two countries work towards a comprehensive free trade agreement.
Due to Britain’s exit from the European Union and also the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Canada and other nations will have to negotiate new deals with the U.K.
This continuity trade deal, however, does include some of the benefits set out in CETA.
Britain will continue to remove tariffs on 98 per cent of the Canadian products it imports.
“This trade continuity agreement between Canada and the United Kingdom assures we maintain our strong and mutually beneficial trade relationship,” Mary Ng, minister of small business, export promotion and international trade, said in a Nov. 21 release.
Canada’s ag sector wants the federal government to secure a free trade deal with Britain sooner than later.
Britain was Canada’s third-largest customer for agri-food products in 2018. That year, Canada exported more than $214 million worth of food products to the U.K.
Only China and the United States imported more Canadian agri-food goods.
A complete trade agreement will help provide certainty and more market access for the Canadian ag sector.
“The best way to show the world that free and open trade can protect the economy now and support recovery is by negotiating and concluding an actual meaningful free trade agreement that enables viable growth for agri-food and generates significant benefits for both sides,” Dan Darling, president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, said in a statement on Nov. 21.
Farms.com has contacted members of the ag sector for comment on the trade agreement and Minister Ng’s office for details on how the trade deal benefits farmers specifically.