What Is CETA?
CETA is the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union (EU). It is the 14th trade agreement that Canada has entered into. CETA received Royal Assent on May 16, 2017, and has been provisionally applied on September 21, 2017.
CETA Free Trade Agreement Approved
The European Union is (currently) comprised of 28 countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
This agreement will allow Canadian importers and exporters improved access to these markets through reduced or eliminated duties.
This agreement intends to break down trade barriers between the signatory nations and create both jobs and economic growth through new opportunities for importers and exporters. Since CETA is now in force, it will provide sweeping tariff reductions for almost all sectors of industry immediately. Approximately 99% of products will be eligible for reduced duty rates immediately, and after 7 years all Customs duties on industrial goods will be eliminated.
With that in mind, CETA does have provisions for Canada and the EU to protect certain commodities from duty reduction or elimination, such as chicken and turkey imports into Canada and beef into the EU.
Commercial Invoice
For items to take advantage of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union preferential treatment, the commercial invoice or another commercial document must identify the originating product(s) in the shipment and include the statement for originating goods such as the below:
--
(Period: from___________ to __________)
The exporter of the products covered by this document (Customs authorization No...) declares that, except where otherwise clearly indicated, these products are of Canada/EU preferential origin.
.............................................
(Place and date)
.................................
(Signature and printed name of the exporter)
--
The "Period from ___ to ___" field can be left blank, or if it is completed, it cannot be for a period of greater than one year. It is important to note that although a blanket period may be indicated, the origin statement must still accompany each shipment. The "Customs authorization No" is only to be completed by approved EU exporters, otherwise, it can be omitted or left blank.
Containing Non-Originating Materials
If the product being exported from the EU contains non-originating materials the supplier should also provide the following statement:
I, the undersigned, supplier of the goods covered by the annexed document, declare that:
The following materials which do not originate in the European Union/in Canada (1) have been used in the European Union/in Canada to produce the following supplied non-originating products.
Any other materials used in the European Union/in Canada to produce these products originate there.
--
I undertake to make available any further supporting documents required.
...........................................................................................
(Place and Date)
...........................................................................................
(Name and position, name and address of company)
...........................................................................................
(Signature)
--
No Certificate Of Origin
Unlike NAFTA, there is no CETA Certificate of Origin, and therefore a certificate is not required for imports into Canada to utilize the CETA tariff treatment.
The products must also meet the origin and transshipment requirements applicable to them. For the most part, this means the items, must be shipped directly from any EU Country or remain in Customs control when in transit through a third country.
Already Canadian cheese importers can apply for tariff rate quota from Global Affairs Canada to enjoy reduced duty rates upon enforcement (without quota, cheese from the EU, as with other countries, will be subject to prohibitively high duty).
The text of the agreement can be found on Canada Border Services Agency's website here.
