Free Trade Agreements and the Agri-Food Sector

A free trade agreement aims to facilitate trade and remove commercial barriers between two or more countries, creating significant opportunities for businesses. According to Group Export, Canada, with its agreements in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, is well-positioned on the global stage, offering a competitive advantage to Canadian agri-food exporters.

Undoubtedly, these types of trade agreements, such as CETA, CUSMA, and CPTPP, have a significant impact on the Canadian agri-food export sector.

• CETA, the agreement with the European Union since September 2017, eliminates or reduces trade barriers between Canada and the EU, with tariff exemptions for 98% of EU tariff lines, providing opportunities for various agri-food products.
• CUSMA, in effect since July 2020, offers Canadian businesses privileged access to over 450 million consumers in the United States, with specific benefits for the agri-food sector, including new tariff quotas and streamlined customs procedures.
• CPTPP, in effect since December 2018, represents privileged access to a market of nearly 500 million consumers in the Asia-Pacific region, with significant benefits for the Canadian agri-food sector, reducing or eliminating tariffs on many products.

In this article from L’actualité ALIMENTAIRE (in French only), an Export Advisor at Group Export provides further details on these three main agreements, as well as relevant information on other bilateral agreements.

Group Export is a key ally for your agri-food export strategies, offering collective trade show programming and financial assistance.