Canadian business groups call for swift action on interim Canada-U.K. trade agreement

A group of Canadian business organizations today issued the following statement:

“We call on Parliamentarians across party lines to avoid trade disruptions between Canada and the United Kingdom (U.K.) and swiftly review the interim Canada-U.K. Trade Continuity Agreement. In what remains a challenging time for the global economic recovery, Canadian
businesses need to maintain existing market access to the U.K. as our largest trading partner in Europe.

“This transitional agreement provides stability and predictability at a time when it is needed most. We welcome the commitment by the Canadian and British governments to negotiate an ambitious and permanent trade deal starting next year. But for now, job number-one should be to limit supply chain disruptions and ensure there are no negative consequences at the end of the year.

“As a trading nation, our road to economic recovery depends on trade. That is why we must implement this interim agreement without delay and swiftly act to ensure that mechanisms are in place January 1, 2020 to avoid trade disruptions.”

The group consists of the Business Council of Canada, the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. The five organizations collectively represent many thousands of companies across Canada, employing millions of Canadians.