Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement takes effect

The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the Labour Cooperation Agreement and the Agreement on the Environment went into effect on Aug. 15, 2011. On Nov. 21, 2008, the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, signed, on behalf of Canada, the Canada-Colombia FTA. The agreement received Royal Assent in 2010. This was the third FTA signed by Canada in 2008 and Canada’s sixth FTA with a country in the Americas.

In 2010, two-way merchandise trade between Canada and Colombia totaled more than $1.4 billion. Canadian merchandise exports to Colombia include cereals (wheat, barley), machinery, vegetables (pulses such as lentils, peas, chickpeas), paper and paperboard, and vehicles. Canadian merchandise imports from Colombia include mineral fuels and oils, coffee, fruits (bananas), live trees and plants and sugar. According to the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, half of the cut flowers that Canada imports are shipped by Colombia.