The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, today issued the following statement:
"Three years ago today, the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into force - an inclusive free trade agreement with high standards for consumers, workers and the environment.
"Trade agreements like CETA are vital to our efforts toward economic recovery from COVID-19, restoring supply chains, diversifying trade relationships and strengthening rules-based trade for the 21st century - all to the benefit of our citizens.
"This ambitious agreement has opened doors for Canadian and European businesses alike - including those owned and led by women, Indigenous peoples and young people - which has led to good jobs for Canadians and Europeans. This will be critical as we work together to fuel global economic recovery and growth that benefits everyone.
"Since CETA came into effect, merchandise trade between Canada and the European Union (EU) has increased annually by over 21%. Today, the EU is Canada's second-largest trading partner; nearly $165 billion worth of goods and services flowed between us last year.
"Building on these successes, we are addressing challenges that remain, such as improving EU market access for Canadian agricultural products through the removal of technical barriers to trade, and accelerating the accreditation of Canadian conformity-assessment bodies responsible for certifying Canadian goods to EU requirements.
"Canada will continue to ensure this landmark agreement secures new opportunities for Canadians in the dynamic and growing European market - including through our Trade Commissioner Service and its programs such as CanExport and the Trade Accelerator Program, to help Canadian businesses get export-ready."
