Exciting news as this week saw the first meeting of both the Dominican and Canadian Governments which commenced a series of meetings and talks on a potential Free Trade Agreement. The meeting was held in the Foreign Relations and International Trade Ministry in Ottawa, Canada. Dates were also set for the 4 negotiating rounds and the possibility of a 5th meeting if needs be. The Dominican ambassador in Canada is a Mr. Eduardo Tejera.He said the negotiation procedures were established and sectorial negotiating groups were created to address the trade of goods, intellectual property, governmental investments, services, purchases and resolution of conflicts amongst other things.
During the meeting Juan Guiliani Cury, Foreign Relations vice minister for Trade, Economic Subjects and Negotiations, said the agricultural sector in particular would be protected with a selective list, and the industrial sector with longer terms that the ones obtained in the accord with the United States.
Guiliani said in the next few days he will announce the forth coming dates of the negotiation rounds and the procedures to conduct them.
Canada also seeks to protect several agricultural products, but it will be decided in the negotiations.
Tejera said he is satisfied with the inaugural meeting and its results as it is a landmark in Canadian-Dominican relations and marks a sharp turn in Canada’s Foreign Policy as it also begins to negotiate with Peru and also Columbia.
The Canadian government headed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shown an opening to trade with Latin America.
