James Skinner
James is the Founder & Chief Executive of
CANZUK International in Vancouver, Canada
The governments of Canada and the United Kingdom have officially launched negotiations for a comprensive trade agreement that will seek to remove tariffs and liberalize visas between the two nations.
UK International Trade Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, met with her counterpart, Canadian Minister for International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, Mary Ng, to formally launch talks that will aim to strengthen the two nations’ trading relationship.
The deal is expected to benefit both economies as Canada exports $19.9 billion of goods to the United Kingdom while the UK exports $7.8 billion to Canada. Top exports include machinery, precious stones and metals, motor vehicles and parts, pharmaceutical products, and aircraft parts. The United Kingdom is also Canada’s second largest services trading partner, after the United States.
The UK and Canada are close friends and international allies who believe in the value that free and fair trade brings to livelihoods and communities,” said Trevelyan after the announcement.
The first round of negotiations is expected to start next week and head of schedule (originally planned for April).
The government of Canada held public consultations in April 2021 to solicit views of Canadians on a Canada-United Kingdom trade agreement. Of the 42 submissions received by the government, 28 (including a comprehensive submission by CANZUK International) suggested that any bilateral free trade agreement should constitute a step towards a broader trade agreement between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, with free movement of people being cited as a key area of interest.
Polling commissioned by CANZUK International in September 2021 also revealed strong support amongst Canadians and Britons for implementing free movement and foreign policy cooperation between the four CANZUK countries, indicating a strong mandate for the government of Canada to pursue CANZUK proposals as part of an upcoming trade agreement.
CANZUK International welcomes the announcement and will work with MPs and Ministers from both countries to ensure a comprehensive trade agreement is supportive of CANZUK and complimentary to the freer movement of citizens and free trade between the two nations.
Photo: Ministère du Commerce et du développement économique
The deal is expected to benefit both economies as Canada exports $19.9 billion of goods to the United Kingdom while the UK exports $7.8 billion to Canada. Top exports include machinery, precious stones and metals, motor vehicles and parts, pharmaceutical products, and aircraft parts. The United Kingdom is also Canada’s second largest services trading partner, after the United States.
The UK and Canada are close friends and international allies who believe in the value that free and fair trade brings to livelihoods and communities,” said Trevelyan after the announcement.
The first round of negotiations is expected to start next week and head of schedule (originally planned for April).
The government of Canada held public consultations in April 2021 to solicit views of Canadians on a Canada-United Kingdom trade agreement. Of the 42 submissions received by the government, 28 (including a comprehensive submission by CANZUK International) suggested that any bilateral free trade agreement should constitute a step towards a broader trade agreement between Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, with free movement of people being cited as a key area of interest.
Polling commissioned by CANZUK International in September 2021 also revealed strong support amongst Canadians and Britons for implementing free movement and foreign policy cooperation between the four CANZUK countries, indicating a strong mandate for the government of Canada to pursue CANZUK proposals as part of an upcoming trade agreement.
CANZUK International welcomes the announcement and will work with MPs and Ministers from both countries to ensure a comprehensive trade agreement is supportive of CANZUK and complimentary to the freer movement of citizens and free trade between the two nations.
Photo: Ministère du Commerce et du développement économique
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