CAFTA issues statement marking five years of free trade with the European Union

Dan Darling, President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA), issued the statement below marking the fifth anniversary of the Canada-EU Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

“CAFTA remains a leading supporter of Canada’s landmark agreement with the EU and the opportunities that exist for Canadian agri-food exports to the EU despite the persistence of technical barriers, restrictive rules of origin and other EU measures that have prevented CETA from delivering its full potential.

“As the world continues to worry about food security and record high inflation, Canada and the EU have an opportunity to show the world that free and open trade is the best way to keep food affordable and plentiful” 

“What made CETA a gold-standard, 21st century pact was that it went beyond tariffs and secured ambitious outcomes on a wide range of non-tariff issues. For example, CETA included commitments to address areas such as technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary issues, regulatory cooperation, and export subsidies.

“However, after 5 years of provisional implementation, significant non-tariff barriers remain in place that are severely restricting or threatening to jeopardize the market access CETA promised our sector.

“We are urging Canadian and EU leaders to work in close collaboration with industry so that these issues can be resolved and that future negotiations, such as with the UK, ensure more liberalized trade. We also call on the EU to encourage its members states to ratify CETA In their respective legislatures.

“As the world continues to worry about food security and record high inflation, Canada and the EU have an opportunity to show the world that free and open trade is the best way to keep food affordable and plentiful.

“Guided by free and rules-based trade, we’ll continue to do our part to feed families here at home and in markets around the world.”