Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
www.agr.gc.ca
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Agri-Food Trade Policy
Canada–Panama Free Trade Agreement
Canada and Panama launched free trade negotiations in October 2008. On May 14, 2010, Canada and Panama signed a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) and parallel agreements on labour cooperation and the environment.
In 2009, Canada exported agriculture and agri-food products worth $23.5 million to Panama (mainly pulses, frozen potato products, pork products, oils and Christmas trees). Canada imported $4.4 million in agricultural products from Panama (mainly coffee, bananas, and melons).
The Agreement will help enhance bilateral commercial relationship between Canada and Panama, and could generate increased export and investment opportunities for Canadians by creating a preferential and more predictable trade and investment environment. This FTA will allow Canadian agriculture exporters to remain competitive with other preferential suppliers to Panama.
Tariffs on over 90% of current Canadian exports of agricultural goods to Panama will be eliminated immediately upon entry into force of the FTA. Products that will receive immediate duty-free access include: frozen potato products, pulses (beans and lentils), malt, oilseeds, and certain beef and pork products. Remaining tariffs will be eliminated over a range of 5 to 10 years, with a small number of sensitive products subject to longer phase-out periods and some agricultural goods excluded from tariff liberalization.
For its part, Canada will immediately eliminate tariffs on nearly all agriculture imports from Panama. Tariff elimination will occur over 5 years on in-quota dairy, poultry and egg products (i.e., supply managed products already subject to a low duty), selected beef products, tomato ketchup and tobacco products, and 15 years on refined sugar. Canada excluded from any tariff reductions over-quota tariffs for supply-managed products.
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For more information, please contact:
Denis Landreville
Lead Negotiator (Regional Agreements)
Negotiations and Multilateral Trade Policy Directorate
Tel: 613-773-1761
Fax: 613-773-1755
E-mail: denis.landreville@agr.gc.ca
