Panama, Canada begin second round of FTA talks
Xinhua | December 02, 2008
Panama, Canada begin second round of FTA talks
Panama and Canada on Monday began a second round of talks in their effort to reach a free trade agreement (FTA).
The talks, expected to end Friday, will focus on procedures for market access regulation, according to the Panamanian Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Experts from each country will analyze the management of goods circulation, commercial facilitation, technical obstacles deregulation, customs procedures and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
Panama, which is awaiting ratification of the Commercial Promotion Agreement with the United States, is also seeking to consolidate its ties with Canada as part of its commercial development strategy within the western hemisphere.
According to statistics from the Panamanian government, the commercial exchange between Canada and Panama reached 700 million U.S. dollars in 2007.
Panamanian products that have got a place in the Canadian market include coffee, papaya, watermelon, fish oil and shrimp.
Canadian companies have invested more than 106 million dollars in Panama’s mining sector during the past two years.
Panama already has signed free trade agreements with Chile, Singapore, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the United States.
