National associations herald start of UK-Canada free trade negotiations
19 Apr 2022
The national trade associations representing manufacturers in Canada and the United Kingdom have applauded the launch of new negotiations for an enhanced and comprehensive free trade agreement between the two countries.
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and Make UK issued a joint declaration as Canada’s minister for Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Mary Ng met international trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan.
“These negotiations provide us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a thframework that will lead to growth and prosperity for the manufacturing industry and both our economies,” said Dennis Darby, President and CEO of CME.
“Manufacturers strongly believe that our negotiators should strive to craft an ambitious agreement that would set the standard for all future trade agreements.”
Canada’s manufacturing sector represents more than 10% of the country’s gross domestic product, recording sales that exceeded C$685 billion in 2019 and directly supporting more than 1.7 million jobs there.
Chief executive officer of Make UK Stephen Phipson said: “These preferential trade arrangements will ensure manufacturing benefits from future positive flows of goods and services into the Canadian market.”
