Press Advisories

13. 9. 201712:18

Bohuslav Sobotka: The approved EU economic and trade agreement with Canada to help Czech exporters

At the end of its term of office, the Chamber of Deputies left for consideration another important point – the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada, on the one hand, and the European Union and its Member States, known as CETA, on the other hand. It was the CETA that, together with the Paris Climate Agreement, was one of the main priorities that the coalition government wanted to enforce in any case by the end of the term of the Chamber of Deputies. I am glad that despite the delays in its deliberations, the members have finally approved it. This is an important document that will open another major market of 35 million inhabitants to European and Czech companies. Canada is one of our most important non-European allies, a democratically developed industrial country with many opportunities.

The agreement removes tariff barriers, includes also services, intellectual property rights protection, public procurement and also investment support and protection. Once it enters into force, it will gradually remove 99 percent of the customs duties for industrial products within the agreed transition periods. It will positively affect mainly engineering, metallurgical and chemical industries, but also construction, IT technology and services, our companies will be able to apply for public contracts throughout Canada and, of course, vice versa.

Our economy is strongly pro-export oriented. Penetration into new markets, under the most advantageous conditions, is therefore extremely important to us. I am convinced that the positive effects of the conclusion of this agreement will manifest within a short time.

Bohuslav Sobotka, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic