Canada, EU launch sixth round of free trade talks

OTTAWA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Canadian international trade minister Peter Van Loan announced Monday the launch of the sixth round of negotiations toward a comprehensive economic and trade agreement between Canada and the European Union.

This round of talks is scheduled to continue until Friday in Brussels.

The negotiations will involve about 100 Canadian federal and provincial negotiators in discussions with their European Union counterparts.

"The economy remains the number one priority of our government," Van Loan said. "Through our ambitious free trade agenda, we will deliver jobs and new opportunities for Canadians.

The Canada-European Union trade negotiations represent our most significant trade initiative since the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement."

"This agreement will boost two-way trade between Canada and the European Union, while creating jobs on both sides of the Atlantic," he said.

Canada and the European Union have held five successful rounds of negotiations toward an agreement since October 2009.

In December 2010, Van Loan held a meeting with European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht in Ottawa to confirm the latest round of talks.

The seventh round of negotiations is scheduled for April in Ottawa.

A Canada-European Union joint economic study, released in October 2008, concluded that a stronger economic partnership could boost Canada's economy by 12 billion Canadian dollars (about 12.16 billion U.S. dollars) annually and increase two-way trade with Europe by 20 percent.

Negotiations are expected to be finished later this year.

And the trade deal is expected to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade in goods and services, as well as deal with contentious issues such as intellectual property rights.

"Canada's free trade agenda is helping to create greater opportunities for Canadian businesses in markets around the world," Van Loan said.

"As we work through the global economic recession, our government is sending a clear signal that open markets, not protectionism, are key to economic recovery, jobs and growth."

Over the last four years, Canada has concluded new free trade agreements with eight countries. Canada is also in negotiations with close to 50 other countries and in discussions to expand the existing first generation free trade agreements.

However, some opposition to a deal exists in Canada. Quebec, Canada's second-largest province, initially pushed for a free trade deal with the European Union as a counterweight to Canada's economic dependence on the U.S.

Now, however, Quebec's government worries that a free trade deal would prevent the government from protecting domestic industries.

As well, Quebec and Ontario oppose any aspects of an agreement that would prevent them from giving preference to local businesses in government procurement.

Members of Canadian anti-free trade groups say they will travel to Brussels to protest the negotiations.