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News Release - April 16, 2002, Backgrounder PDF version (122 pages, 808 KB)
Additional export information is available on-line at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca or www.exportsource.ca
This publication and additional export information are available on-line at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca or www.exportsource.ca
Unless otherwise specified, monetary figures in this document are in Canadian dollars.
About This Document
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities – 2002 outlines the Government's priorities for improving access to foreign markets for Canadian traders and investors through a range of multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives in 2002. It also presents significant market-opening results from 2001 that will benefit Canadian business. Subjects range from Canada's broad negotiating objectives at the World Trade Organization, to the details of specific bilateral trade irritants. It is not intended as an exhaustive catalogue of Government activities to improve access to foreign markets, nor as a comprehensive inventory of foreign barriers to trade or investment.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), and its Embassies and missions abroad, coordinated the preparation of this report, with the assistance of other federal government departments (especially Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Finance Canada, Industry Canada and Natural Resources), as well as provincial governments, and, of course, Canadians doing business abroad. Its contents are current up to mid-March 2002.
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities – 2002 updates and expands on topics presented in the 2001 report, which was released by the Minister for International Trade in April 2001. While recognizing the vital importance of the U.S. market, the current approach reflects Canada's broader interests and the importance of work in such forums as the World Trade Organization (WTO) to strengthen the disciplines governing global trade and investment flows.
© Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2002
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ISBN - 0-662-66440-X
Catalogue number: E74-88/2002
Table of Contents
Message from the Minister for International Trade
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Introduction
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Getting the International Rules Right: The World Trade Organization
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Investment
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Opening Doors to the Americas
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Opening Doors to Europe
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Opening Doors to Asia Pacific
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Opening Doors in Other Key Markets
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Glossary of Terms
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List of Acronyms
Message from the Minister for International Trade
The past year was quite eventful. It was a year of significant challenges and important successes for Canada's international trade policy agenda.
On the trade front, 2001 proved to be another good year for Canada, despite the downturn in the economy in the United States. After nine consecutive record-setting years, Canada's exports of goods and services declined a modest 2.1%, to $467.6 billion, in 2001 (though exports of energy, consumer goods, and industrial goods and materials increased over 2000). Exports are expected to increase in 2002. At $412.9 billion, our imports were down 2.9% from a year earlier. Overall, Canada registered yet another record trade surplus: $54.7 billion, up from the record $52.6 billion in 2000.
Perhaps most significant, however, was the way in which Canada confronted the major challenges to our security and prosperity in 2001. The Canada-U.S. border issues that emerged in the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 underscored the need for a border that operates efficiently and effectively. To further enhance our management of the border, the Governments of Canada and the United States signed on December 12, 2001, a declaration on the creation of a Smart Border for the 21st Century. We have the opportunity to build a smart border that securely facilitates the free flow of people and commerce and a border that reflects the largest trading relationship in the world.
The Government of Canada has established a Canadian Border Task Force to ensure that the Smart Border initiative is implemented effectively. In the December 10 Budget, the Government of Canada committed to investing more than $1.2 billion in measures designed to make the border more open and efficient. Of this amount, $600 million has been appropriated for a new program to improve infrastructure that supports major border crossings, such as highways and commercial vehicle processing centres.
Canada also realized several significant trade policy achievements in 2001, including:
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launching a new round of multilateral trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (the Doha Development Agenda);
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Canada's successful hosting of the Summit of the Americas in Quebec City;
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securing the agreement of our Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) partners to release the draft negotiating documents;
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concluding a bilateral free trade agreement with Costa Rica; and
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launching trade negotiations with El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (the Central America Four) and with Singapore.
"Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities – 2002" (CIMAP 2002) outlines the federal government's strategy for achieving improved access for goods, services and investments in key foreign markets. The CIMAP Report, as it is commonly referred to, also highlights significant market-opening results achieved by the government in 2001 to benefit Canadians and provide new opportunities for Canadian companies in world markets.
It is clear that improving and securing access to key markets is an important factor in ensuring continued prosperity for Canadians. That is why the Government of Canada remains so committed to bringing down barriers in key markets. In 2002, the Government will continue to pursue its objectives through multilateral and regional forums, bilaterally with key trading partners, and through the negotiation of new free trade agreements.
Among our key trade policy objectives for 2002 are:
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successfully resolving the softwood lumber dispute with the United States;
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ensuring the smooth flow of goods and services to our top market, the United States;
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resolving the dispute with Brazil regarding regional aircraft;
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making progress in the WTO negotiations (in particular, on agriculture) and in the FTAA negotiations; and
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concluding FTA negotiations with the Central America Four and Singapore.
The Government of Canada is pursuing the priorities outlined in this Report in full consultation with provincial and territorial governments, the business sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), citizen-based and public interest groups, and individual Canadians.
In addition to being a source of information on the Government's actions on a range of trade issues of importance to Canadians, the CIMAP Report is intended to stimulate informed debate among readers. I invite all interested Canadians to visit the Trade Negotiations and Agreements Web site to review this Report and other up-to-date information on Canada's trade policy agenda, and tell us what you think. Your comments and views will continue to inform and guide the Government in developing trade policies that protect Canadian interests and ensure our continued prosperity.
The Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew
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