GHY Tradelines

(IE Canada)

Canada and the European Union (EU) have reached a pivotal point in the negotiation of a Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). After a year and a half of negotiations, the parties are getting down to the critical issues.

Among the remaining sensitive negotiating topics is the issue of regulatory and voluntary standards. Most consumer products, such as automobiles, food products, and electrical appliances, are subject to technical requirements relating to their design, labelling, packaging, functionality and performance. Such requirements may be established by governments to meet legitimate policy objectives, such as protecting consumer health and safety. They may also be established by nongovernmental bodies in the form of voluntary standards to ensure the compatibility of products. However, when such standards and technical requirements differ among countries, they can create technical barriers to trade, frustrating the efforts of traders to access foreign markets notwithstanding lower duty rates. Canada has been pushing for the inclusion of a standalone chapter on regulatory cooperation in the CETA as one means of addressing conflicting standards and technical requirements.

I.E.Canada invites you to a luncheon – organized in partnership with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and Bennett Jones LLP – to hear about the latest developments in the CETA negotiations following the fifth round of talks held in Ottawa in October 2010. Come and join other industry experts in a roundtable discussion on technical standards and regulatory cooperation and the issues and implications for Canadian companies wishing to import or export products to the European market.

Speaker Panel includes:

• Steve Verheul, Chief Trade Negotiator (Canada – European Union), DFAIT;
• Mark Richardson, Deputy Director, Technical Barriers & Regulation, DFAIT;
• Bonnie Rose, President, Standards Division, Canadian Standards Association (Invited);
• Mark A. Nantais, President, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association;
• Milos Jancik, Former President & CEO, Electro-Federation Canada (Invited);
• Diana Hénault, Vice-President, Procurement & Compliance, I-D Foods Corporation; and
• Milos Barutciski, Partner, and Co-Chair, International Trade and Investment Practice Group, Bennett Jones LLP.

When: Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Where: Bennett Jones LLP, Suite 3400, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario
Time: 12:00-12:20 p.m. – Registration and Lunch
12:20-2:10 p.m. – Program

For a detailed copy of the program, please click here.

This is a complimentary invitation for interested parties with limited seating. Please click  here to register.

If you are unable to attend in person but would like to participate via teleconference, please contact Amesika Baëta, Committee Director at abaeta@iecanada.com.