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On November 16, 2021, Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to proceed with free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations. A first round of negotiations is anticipated to take place in 2022. We want to know what your trade priorities and challenges in ASEAN markets are. Send all comments to Trade.Policy@gov.bc.ca.

Trade remedies are actions taken by a country in response to trading partners’ subsidies (countervailing duties), sales at less than fair value (antidumping measures) and import surges (safeguards). Canada's trade remedies system is under review, and Canada has launched public consultations on potential legislative and regulatory amendments to strengthen its trade remedy system and to improve access for workers and small and medium-sized enterprises. Canada is seeking the views of Canadian producers and importers of all sizes, workers, and other interested stakeholders. Review the consultation notice and submit your views by September 26, 2021. 

The European Union (EU) runs public consultations on its “Fit for 55” package designed to meet its updated 2030 climate target of at least 55% reductions in emissions below 1990 levels. The “Fit for 55” package contains legislative proposals and policy initiatives including carbon pricing and leakage, emissions trading, renewable energy, and cleaner mobility, which could have an impact on aluminum, steel, cement, fertilizer, agriculture, and agri-food exporters to the EU as well as transportation providers. Many of the proposals are revisions to existing legislation, but some, including the proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), are new. Submit your views on the EU Commission website:

EU Green Deal Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

EU Renewable Energy Rules

Updating the EU Emission Trading System 

Review of EU Rules on Land Use, Land Use Change & Forestry

CO2 emissions from shipping – encouraging the use of low-carbon fuels

On June 20, 2021, Canada and Indonesia launched negotiations towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). A first round of negotiations is anticipated to take place in early 2022. Send your trade priorities and challenges in Indonesia to Trade.Policy@gov.bc.ca so that B.C. can represent your interests in the negotiations.

Global Affairs Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada initiated consultations with stakeholders and interested parties to identify challenges faced by Canadian businesspersons seeking access to the U.S. and Mexican markets through the NAFTA/CUSMA and to the European Union (EU) markets through the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) commitments in the area of temporary entry.

We encourage British Columbians and B.C. businesses to inform us of the challenges and experiences in seeking entry as one of the following: Business Visitors, Traders and Investors, Intra-Company Transferees and Professionals. 

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• Which market(s) and port(s) of entry are involved, sector and/or type of company involved 
• Availability of information about the relevant processes and procedures 
• Any issues related to processing fees and timelines, as well as renewal processes 

You can submit your response, comments and suggestions to Trade.Policy@gov.bc.ca.

Panel Body Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian agrifood and other commodities are not able to reach their destinations around the world via the usual routes. To address the issue, the European Commission ​announced the establishment of the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes Action Plan in order to help Ukraine export its agricultural products. Under this initiative, a matchmaking platform​ was set up to connect interested businesses from around the world with Ukrainian and other businesses in order to find solutions to the export of agricultural produce from Ukraine as quickly as possible.​ The platform looks to identify new logistics chains, find new partners for logistics and international trade, share insights on solutions and initiatives to rethink logistics and supply chains, adapt infrastructure and get the right equipment and machinery to the right place. The platform covers a variety of sectors, including the sale of agri commodities and agrifood products and raw materials.

The Government of Brazil has temporarily eliminated or lowered its import tariffs by 10% on 87% of all goods, in effect until December 31, 2022. TOP 15 B.C. exports to Brazil include life science goods, machinery, mechanical appliances and instruments, agricultural and agri-food products, value-added wood products which benefit from the tariff reductions and eliminations detailed in the table below. For a full list of tariff reductions, please consult the Resolution GECEX No 269 (in Portuguese only).

To continue exporting to China, foreign companies involved in the processing and cold/dry storage of “low-risk” products exported to China will need to self-register with China through the International Trade Single Window Service System (www.singlewindow.cn). Products impacted: those products not deemed high risk and medium risk and that are currently being exported to China. Companies impacted: all companies that currently export to China products that are not high or medium risk. Article 9 of Decree 248 provides further details on this process, and exporters should work with their Chinese importers as necessary to complete the registration.

As of October 1, 2021, the Government of Ecuador will lower tariffs on 667 products, including 43 agriculture and agri-food products. Some tariff eliminations that may be of particular interest to British Columbian producers, manufactures, and exporters:

For more details, consult Resolution No. 009 - 2021 issued by the Foreign Trade Commission of Ecuador.

The EU Commission has adopted regulations as regards maximum levels of cadmium and lead in certain foodstuffs effective late August 2021. The adopted regulations revise the maximum levels of contaminants in various food stuffs that can found in the annexes listed for cadmium and lead. These changes could affect various commodities that B.C. and Canada export to the EU. If you have any questions or concerns related to these adopted regulations, please contact the Market Access Secretariat aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca for further explanation.

China has released a revised National Food Safety Standard for Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for pesticides in foods (GB 2763-2021). The updated standard contains 81 additional pesticides and 2,985 new MRLs compared with GB 2763-2019 and is expected to enter into force on September 3, 2021 replacing the 2019 version. The unofficial English version of the new standard can be accessed here. For questions and comments, please contact the Market Access Secretariat: aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca

Egypt's Ministry of  Ministry of Finance established the Advanced Clearance Information (ACI) single-window system to manage customs clearance at ports that aims to modernize and automate customs administration, simplify procedures, and reduce clearance times. The exporter (Canadian companies) will only need to register their company name and data with the system one time through a separate platform (the BlockChain CargoX), available at the following website: https://cargox.io. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Finance, successful implementation of the new customs systems will reduce the average clearance time in Egypt from the current 28 days to one day only. The ACI system is expected to launch on October 1, 2021.

The European Union (EU) has officially granted Canada and all other trade partners an extension for all exporters of commercial food and animal commodities destined for the EU in order to meet the new requirements of EU's Animal Health Law. Current export certificates will continue to be accepted by the EU until March 15, 2022, provided they are signed before January 15, 2022. 

Export certificates can be accessed through the Trade Control and Export System (TRACES NT), which serves as the EU's e-certification system. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) encourages exporters to create an EU login account and user access profile in TRACES NT in advance January 2022. The account will then have to be validated by contacting the CFIA at: cfia.tracesntadministrator-tracestnadministrateur.acia@inspection.gc.ca.

For more information, contact Market Access Secretariat: aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca

Indonesia is amending its regulation on products and consumer goods to be subject to mandatory halal certification. The range of products is broad and includes food; beverages; drugs and medicine; cosmetics; chemical products; biological products; organic and genetically modified products, machinery and equipment involved in the processing of these products, as well as their storage and packaging.

Canada estimates that there may be an impact on exports of particular agriculture, agri-food, fish and seafood products to Indonesia. Please provide your comments, questions or concerns to the Market Access Secretariat at aafc.mas-sam.aac@agr.gc.ca by August 12, 2021.

The Canada-U.K. Trade Continuity Agreement entered into force on April 1, 2021. It preserves preferential market access for both B.C. and U.K. businesses. Read more.

The transition from the European Union (EU) Export Health Certificates to the new Great Britain (GB) model health certificates for animal and animal products has been extended until June 30, 2021. Certificates issued past this deadline must use the GB model Export Health Certificates. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working on developing the new certificates to reflect the required changes. For exports to Northern Ireland, the EU Export Health Certificates will still be required.

Canadian eggs and dairy products’ exports to South Korea need to use revised export health certificates. For more information, contact the nearest CFIA office.

South Korea is temporarily eliminating tariffs on imported egg products until June 30, 2021. For Canadian and B.C. producers, this means that tariffs ranging from 27% to 30% on egg whites and yolks will become 0%. The specific egg products will benefit from the volume listed in the table below, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact B.C.’s local office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to learn about export conditions and certification prior to shipping.

China announced temporary most-favoured-nation (MFN) tariff reductions on 883 products effective January 1, 2021. The list (in Chinese) covers 89 agriculture and agri-food and fish & seafood products including certain products of pork, fish and seafood, dairy and infant formula, fruit and nuts, animal fats, orange juice, whiskey, canola meal (oilcake), as well as pet food & prepared animal feed. This measure is temporary and there is no indication as to how long it will last.

The Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) provides additional duty-free access for Canadian and B.C. goods exports to the South Korean market. A number of Canadian agri-food and seafood exports to South Korea became duty-free as of January 1, 2021: frozen blueberries, certain oat products, beer, frozen hagfish, various dietary supplements and dietary products and crude canola oil. The summary of new tariff reductions and eliminations is available at: Tariff preferences for Canadian exports to Korea