Ottawa, ON
Canada is taking steps to strengthen its trade relationships and enhance the security and integrity of its global supply chains.
Erin O'Gorman, President of Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), together with His Excellency Pablo Sader, Uruguayan Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and the Mission to the European Union, on June 25, 2026 signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) between Canada and Uruguay that will further increase trade security between the two countries.
The agreement will help prevent illicit customs activity, such as the smuggling of drugs, firearms and other illegal goods, and help protect the $317 million trade relationship between Canada and Uruguay. This will be accomplished, in large part, through the sharing of customs information.
The signing took place in Brussels, Belgium, during the World Customs Organization's Council meetings (June 22- 26, 2026). The agreement comes as Canada works toward modernising its 1999 Foreign Investment and Protection Agreement and negotiating a free trade agreement with the MERCOSUR trading bloc, of which Uruguay is a member.
Strong and coordinated partnerships between customs organizations are key to safeguarding economies, disrupting transnational crime and protecting communities.
