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On November 5, 2013, Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada announced that the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, and José Adonis Lavaire, Minister of Industry and Commerce for Honduras, signed the Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement. Parallel agreements on labour cooperation and environmental cooperation were also signed. In addition to the trade agreement news, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced that, effective immediately, the Harper government has secured full market access for Canada’s world-class beef and pork exports.
The announcement said that the Canada-Honduras FTA includes provisions on market access for goods, cross-border trade in services, investment and government procurement. Once the agreement is fully implemented, over 98 percent of tariff lines will be duty-free. Key sectors that will benefit immediately from better market access include beef, pork, potato products, vegetable oils and grain products, as well as a range of processed food products. Canada and Honduras have a healthy and growing commercial relationship. The latest numbers show 46 percent growth in merchandise trade between the two countries since 2007. In 2012, Canada’s exports of goods to Honduras totalled $38.6 million, $3.3 million of which was agricultural goods. Engagement in the Americas has been a priority of Canada’s foreign policy since 2007. The announcement said that Canada is committed to increasing opportunities for mutually beneficial transactions with the Americas in order to generate inclusive and sustainable economic growth. For more information, please visit Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement. |
