Canada Kicks Off Second Round of Negotiations to Expand Free Trade with Israel

Submitted by admin on Thu, 06/12/2014 - 01:38

The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, ...announced the start of the second round of negotiations to expand and modernize the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA). The negotiations are taking place in Ottawa from May 26 to 29 and will cover a range of key issues.

An expanded and modernized CIFTA will enhance bilateral commercial flows by reducing technical barriers, enhancing cooperation, increasing transparency in regulatory matters and reducing transaction costs for businesses...

Quick Facts

  • CIFTA is a cornerstone of Canada’s commercial relationship with Israel.
  • Since CIFTA came into force in 1997, Canada’s two-way merchandise trade with Israel has more than doubled to over $1.43 billion in 2013.
  • Key opportunities for Canadian companies exist in sectors such as defence, information and communications technology, life sciences and sustainable technologies.

This has been excerpted from the 26 May 2014 news release by Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, and is available in its entirety at Canada.ca.