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The United Kingdom is hitting pause on negotiations for a brand new free trade settlement with Canada, with the British authorities claiming “progress will not be being made.”
The assertion shared by Susannah Goshko, the British excessive commissioner to Canada, on Thursday got here lower than a month earlier than the subsequent spherical of talks in direction of a everlasting commerce deal was anticipated to happen.
“Now we have all the time mentioned we’ll solely negotiate offers that ship for the British folks,” mentioned the assertion, attributed to a British authorities spokesperson. “And we reserve the suitable to pause negotiations with any nation if progress will not be being made. We stay open to restarting talks with Canada sooner or later to construct a stronger buying and selling relationship that advantages companies and shoppers on each side of the Atlantic.”
Commerce Minister Mary Ng’s workplace mentioned in an announcement of their very own that London’s “unwillingness to achieve a mutual settlement has solely stalled negotiations,” accusing the U.Okay. of sustaining “market entry obstacles for our agricultural business.”
The workplace mentioned Ng has been in contact together with her British counterpart Kemi Badenoch to precise Canada’s “disappointment” over the stalled negotiations.
Canada and the U.Okay. formally opened talks on an up to date free commerce deal in 2022. However sticking factors have emerged on each side of the negotiations.
A particular quota for U.Okay. cheese imports, which provided the identical low-tariff entry to the Canadian market because the European Union has, expired on the finish of final month.
Canada has additionally determined to not lengthen country-of-origin guidelines set to run out on the finish of March, which is able to probably drive up the value of U.Okay. items equivalent to luxurious automobiles.
Each non permanent measures have been enacted after Brexit, and the U.Okay. had pushed for them to stay in place.
On the similar time, Canada’s cattle sector has been lobbying towards a take care of the U.Okay. over a long-standing dispute on hormone-treated beef and pork.
The U.Okay. has held again on importing meats handled with sure hormones which can be extensively utilized by Canadian ranchers, who argue the Brits’ concern isn’t grounded in science.
Ng’s workplace mentioned Canada “is not going to negotiate an settlement that’s not good (for) Canadians — and never good for our Canadian companies, farmers and employees.”
The pause is the most recent commerce setback for Canada, after talks over an agreement with India were put on ice over accusations brokers related to the Indian authorities have been behind the homicide of a Sikh nationalist and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in British Columbia final yr.
Canada has additionally been dealing with a extra protectionist buying and selling associate in america. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said this week that Ottawa was getting ready for additional “unpredictability” if former president Donald Trump returns to the White Home subsequent yr.
— With information from the Canadian Press
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