EGGLETON MEETS WITH SWEDEN'S TRADE MINISTER

October 21, 1996 No. 193

EGGLETON MEETS WITH SWEDEN'S TRADE MINISTER

The Honourable Art Eggleton, Minister for International Trade, today met in Ottawa with His Excellency Björn von Sydow, Minister for Trade of the Kingdom of Sweden, to discuss bilateral and global trade issues.

Items being discussed during the meeting and working lunch, hosted by Mr. Eggleton, included: ways of ensuring the best possible outcomes from the upcoming World Trade Organization meeting of trade ministers, taking place in Singapore in December; mutual efforts to foster the Canada-European Union dialogue; and immediate steps to eliminate obstacles to regional and transatlantic trade.

"The similarity in the trade and fiscal challenges and in the opportunities facing Canada and Sweden, along with the creative approaches that both countries are applying, led to very useful discussions," said Mr. Eggleton. "Swedish investors have shown great confidence in Canada as a gateway to the continent and beyond in recent years, and this visit will help encourage that process to continue."

The volume of trade between Canada and Sweden is increasing rapidly. Swedish sales to Canada in 1995 totalled $1.1 billion while Canada's sales to Sweden came to $343 million in the same year. The recent large flow of Swedish investments into Nova Scotia, Quebec and elsewhere in Canada has helped offset this trade imbalance.

Mr. von Sydow is on a three-day visit to Canada to follow up on earlier Swedish and Canadian initiatives to build on the two countries' growing commercial relationship. He will attend the third annual Canada-Sweden Conference under the theme "Canada and Sweden -- Partners into the Future."

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Nicole Bourget

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 996-6271

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca