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News Release and Backgrounder
April 5, 2000
Table of Contents
Message from the Minister for International Trade
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Introduction
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Getting the International Rules Right:
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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 to Other Key Markets
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Summary of Market Access Results in 1999
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Glossary of Terms
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Acronyms
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Statistical Annex
About this Document
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities - 2000 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 2000. It also presents significant market access results from 1999 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 and Industry Canada), as well as provincial governments, and, of course, Canadians doing business abroad. Its contents are current up to the end of February 2000.
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities - 2000 updates and expands on topics presented in the 1999 report, which was released by the Minister for International Trade in March 1999.
This publication and additional export information are available on-line at www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca or www.exportsource.gc.ca
Unless otherwise specified, monetary figures in this document are in Canadian dollars.
Message from the Minister for International Trade
 I am pleased to present the year 2000 edition of Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities and to report on the continuing success that Canada is enjoying in the international marketplace. Last year's edition noted that Canadian exports of goods and services had reached a record level in 1998 for the seventh year in a row. I am delighted to report that the trend has continued in 1999, with the new record at $410 billion, an increase of 11.3 percent over last year. It is important for the Canadian economy and for generating jobs in Canada that we continue to build on this success in the years ahead.
Trade is important to every Canadian. From the self-employed entrepreneur to the factory worker, from small business owner to corporate executive and from child to pensioner, we as Canadians all have a stake in ensuring that products and services flow smoothly over international borders. Most importantly, we rely on clear and predictable rules to govern this trade.
The greatest tool that Canada has to make such rules, and to open new markets for our goods and services, is the World Trade Organization (WTO). I was pleased to have led Canada's delegation to the Ministerial Meeting in Seattle last December, although I regret that we were not able to launch new broad-based negotiations at that time. The fact remains, however, that the WTO is one of the world's most important economic institutions. The WTO enjoys the support of governments around the world and is responsible for the progressive expansion of the global economy. It is an organization that continues to grow and to attract new members, including lesser-developed countries. The burgeoning membership of the WTO is testimony to the universal importance to all countries of a multilateral rules-based system.
I believe that a new broad-based round of WTO negotiations is inevitable and is in Canada's best interest. While mandated negotiations on agriculture and services will progress in the coming months, we will continue to work to build a broad consensus toward a successful launch of negotiations on the full range of issues important to Canadian exporters. And we must ensure that Canadian trade, development and foreign policy goals continue to foster an international economic environment hospitable to sustainable growth in both developed and developing countries.
We must also recognize that many people have serious, and often legitimate, concerns about the relationship of international trade agreements to other areas of importance, such as the environment, culture, and labour and human rights. But, the WTO cannot be relied upon to solve all of these problems. It is vitally important that the key international organizations, the International Monetary Fund, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organization, the UN Environment Program and others work as a true system, not as a patchwork of uncoordinated entities.
In the meantime, the Canadian government is continuing its efforts to secure and improve market access for Canadian exports through a variety of means outlined in this report. We will continue to pursue our objectives through a balanced set of multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives. Multilaterally, we will focus on the recently launched negotiations on agriculture and services and will continue to work to bring additional countries, such as China, into the WTO. Regionally, the Free Trade Area of the Americas initiative holds great promise for trade liberalization throughout the Western Hemisphere. Bilaterally, negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association countries are at an advanced stage and we hope to conclude an agreement with them in the coming months. We are also open to exploring further FTAs with countries where it is in Canada's interest to do so. As an example, in January, Prime Minister Chrétien and the President of Costa Rica agreed that we would begin exploratory talks regarding possible free trade negotiations to provide Canadian firms with a competitive advantage in the fast-growing Costa Rican economy. Finally, we will pay priority attention to our largest trading partner, the United States, in order to ensure the continued growth of our exports.
In closing, I want to stress that the Government of Canada is committed to maintaining an on-going dialogue with Canadians on trade issues. In addition to providing information on issues of importance to Canadians, this report is intended to provoke the thoughts and opinions of readers. As such, I encourage you to pass on your views on the global trade environment. To facilitate your feedback, we have developed mechanisms to complement this report, including our Trade Negotiations and Agreements website, which provides the most up-to-date information on Canada's Trade Policy Agenda. I invite you to register your views via the Trade Negotiations and Agreements website. Together we will work to advance Canadian interests and ensure prosperity for all Canadians.
The Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew
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