The free trade agreements of Canada represents Canada's cooperation in multinational trade pacts and plays a large role in the Canadian economy. Canada is regularly described as a trading nation, considering its total trade is worth more than two-thirds of its GDP (the second highest level in the G7, after Germany).[1][2] Of that total trade, roughly 75% is done with countries that are part of free trade agreements with Canada—primarily the United States through the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and its predecessor the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[3] By the end of 2014, Canadas bilateral trade hit Can$1 trillion for the first time.[4] Canada is a signatory to 15 free trade agreements with 51 different countries.[5]
Canada is a founding member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since 1 January 1995, having been an original GATT member since 1 January 1948.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which is held with Canada by the United States and Mexico, came into force on 1 January 1994, creating the largest free trade region in the world by GDP. By 2014, the combined GDP for the NAFTA area was estimated to be over Can$20 trillion with a market encompassing 474 million people.[6][7]
Building on that success, Canada continues to negotiate and has concluded free trade agreements with 51 countries,[5] most recently with South Korea, which represents Canada's first FTA with a partner in the Asia-Pacific region. As of 2018, Canada has also concluded two other significant multilateral trade agreements: the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union and the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with 10 other Pacific-Rim countries.[8] On 21 September 2017, CETA was provisionally applied, immediately eliminating 98% of EU's tariff lines on Canadian goods.[9] Canada is currently the only G7 country to have free trade agreements in force with all other G7 countries. Free trade with the final G7 country, Japan, commenced when the CPTPP entered into force on 30 December 2018.
Canada is negotiating bilateral FTAs with the following countries and trade blocs:[8]
Canada is undertaking exploratory discussions of bilateral or multilateral FTAs with the following countries and trade blocs, although formal negotiations have not yet begun:[8]
Agreement name | Abbreviation | Countries involved | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Free Trade Area of the Americas | FTAA | 32
|
Proposed expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement to all members of the Organization of American States, negotiated from 1994 to 2005. During the 4th Summit of the Americas in 2005, 26 of the countries pledged to meet again in 2006 to resume negotiations but no such meeting took place. |
Canada–Central American Four Free Trade Agreement | CCA4FTA | Twelve rounds of negotiations from 2001 to 2010. When no agreement was reached during the 2010 round, Canada and Honduras decided to pursue bilateral negotiations and concluded a separate bilateral FTA.[22] | |
Trans-Pacific Partnership | TPP | Agreement was signed 4 February 2016. Following the withdrawal of the United States' signature on 23 January 2017 the agreement is defunct, and the remaining members instead concluded the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. |
A Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) is an agreement to promote foreign investing.
The following is a list of FIPAs in force, including date of entry into force.[8]
The following is a list of FIPAs that have been concluded and signed, but have not yet entered into force.[8]
The following is a list of FIPA negotiations concluded, and are not in force. First is the country, then the date it was concluded.[8]
The following is a list of FIPA negotiations that have not yet concluded.[8]