Opening Doors to the World
Canada's International Market
Access Priorities – 2003
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About This Document
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities – 2003 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 2003. It also presents significant market-opening results from 2002 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; neither is it a comprehensive inventory of foreign barriers to
trade or investment.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) coordinated the preparation of this report with the
assistance of its embassies and missions abroad, other federal government departments (especially Agriculture and Agri-Food
Canada, Finance Canada, Industry Canada and Natural Resources Canada), provincial governments and, of course, Canadians
doing business abroad. Its contents are current up to mid-March 2003.
Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities – 2003 updates and expands on topics
presented in the 2002 report, released by the Minister for International Trade in April 2002. 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 to strengthen the disciplines governing global trade and investment
flows.
©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada,
as represented by the Minister for International Trade, 2003
Catalogue number: E74-88/2003
ISBN: 0-662-67077-9
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
I am pleased to present the 2003 edition of Opening Doors to the World: Canada's International Market Access Priorities.
This year's report outlines the federal government's strategy for achieving improved access for goods, services and investment
in key foreign markets. It also highlights significant market-opening results achieved by the government in 2002.
Canada is a trading nation whose prosperity is linked to our ability to facilitate commerce with the world. The Government of
Canada remains committed to bringing down barriers in key markets through negotiations with trading partners, multilaterally,
regionally and bilaterally. The overarching goal is to benefit Canadians and provide new opportunities for Canadian companies
in world markets.
Canada's priority trade policy objectives for 2003 are to:
- successfully resolve the softwood lumber dispute with the United States;
- ensure the smooth flow of goods and services to our top market, the United States;
- make progress in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) negotiations; and
- conclude free trade agreement negotiations with Central America and Singapore.
While the cornerstone of our trade policy continues to be the multilateral trading system, our trading relationship with the
United States remains paramount, and securing and improving access to this immense market is our number-one trade policy priority.
Canadians are aware that this relationship—and our growing economic integration—are increasingly the subject of discussion and
analysis. I believe that much can be done to build on existing achievements to further advance Canadian interests and to ensure
our continued economic prosperity within a secure North America.
Canada's goals in this regard include:
- increasing our share of the U.S. import market;
- increasing the flows of two-way investment on which trade increasingly depends;
- advancing an agenda of smart regulation, which could include broadening
and deepening regulatory cooperation between our countries;
- bringing trade remedy practice more in line with the growing integration of our shared North American economic space; and
- eliminating the border as an impediment to trade, investment and business
development and moving the border-related processes from the border.
It is important to note that January 1, 2004, will mark the 10th anniversary of the coming into force of the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA has been a tremendous success. It has fundamentally changed the North American economic
space into one of the most efficient, integrated and competitive regions in the world. The increase in our trade and investment
flows with the United States and Mexico during this past decade has coincided with significant economic growth and job creation
in Canada. These gains highlight the importance of secure market access for Canada's overall prosperity. While Canadians have
already realized many benefits from NAFTA, the Government of Canada will not rest on its laurels. Indeed, NAFTA, with its
ongoing working groups and implementation commitments, is in many ways a living document that holds much scope for achieving
further market access improvements.
My pledge to Canadians is that the Government of Canada will continue to work to reduce barriers in foreign markets.
We will also continue our efforts to promote Canada—including our goods and services as well as our attractiveness as a site
for investment—abroad. These efforts, combined with our growing reputation for excellence, will ensure our continued success
in producing jobs and growth and thus contribute to the continued prosperity of Canadians.
The Honourable Pierre S. Pettigrew
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