OAS

 
Canada - European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Text of the agreement
  Background and Negotiations
   

On 9 October 1998 the Government of Canada announced the launch of free trade negotiations with the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which are Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The first negotiating session was held in Ottawa 14-16 October of that same year. The tenth round was held in Geneva in May 2000. Negotiations were concluded on 07 June 2007. The Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement was signed on 26 January 2008.

On 5 May 2008 Canada tabled legislation in Parliament to implement the free trade agreement. However, on September 8, 2008, the implementing legislation ceased to exist when the federal election in Canada was called. The legislation to implement the FTA was resubmitted by the Canadian Minister of International Trade tabled in the House of Commons legislation to implement the FTA on January 28, 2009.

Documents relating to the negotiations
28 January 2009 Canada tables legislation in the House of Commons to implement FTA PDF 
05 May 2008 Canada tables legislation in Parliament to implement FTA PDF
26 January 2008

Davos, Switzerland. Canada and EFTA States sign FTA PDF

07 June 2007 Canada and the EFTA States announced the conclusion of free trade agreement negotiations PDF
June 1999 Third and fourth rounds: Geneva: 15-19 February 1999 and Ottawa: 12-16 April 1999 PDF
January 1999 Second round of negotiations - Geneva: 23-24 November 1998 PDF
November 1998 First round of negotiations - Ottawa: October 1998 PDF
09 October 1998 Canada launches free trade negotiations with EFTA countries PDF
Source: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

 

  Text of the Agreement
   
2008 Text of the Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement
Source: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

 

  Entry into Force
   

On 29 April 2009, Canada announced that legislation to implement the free trade agreement signed with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries received Royal Assent.

On July 1, 2009, the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed by Canada and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland entered into force.

Documents relating to the entry into force
02 July 2009 Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement entered into force on 01 July 2009 PDF
29 April 2009 Legislation to implement Canada-EFTA Free Trade Agreement received Royal Assent PDF 
Source: Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

 

  Modernization of the Agreement
    Canada and EFTA met on February 13, 2020 in Ottawa, Canada to continue discussions on a possible modernization and expansion of their existing Free Trade Agreement.

13 February 2020 Ottawa, Canada. Canada and EFTA meet to continue exploratory discussions to modernize agreement PDF New!

  Related Articles and Studies
   
June 2004 EFTA Secretariat. EFTA's Third Country Relations PDF

  Sources
   
 

Spanish version 
Recent Developments
 

13 February 2020. Canada and EFTA meet to continue exploratory discussions to modernize agreement New!


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