Category Archives: Investment

Business with Belgium ~ It’s all about CETA

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The Belgian Canadian Business Chamber together with the Canadian International Council (CIC) and the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) brought together numerous experts to for a session on “It’s all about CETA” on May 18th, 2018

Pasquale Madonna, senior consultant, Trade & Customs practice KPMG led off with an update on increased second -generation, public-sector contract deals under CETA. In the past, sales of goods, projects and services to all three levels of government were subject to local content rules that discouraged or excluded foreign bidders. CETA has eliminated most of those barriers.  Smaller contracts are still set aside for local suppliers.

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CETA: Canada’s Free Trade Agreement with the European Union

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Prime Minister Trudeau inked Canada’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA)—known as CETA—with the European Union in Brussels in October 2016

Businessmen Shaking Hands with Canadian Flag

Prime Minister Trudeau inked Canada’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union in Brussels on October 30, 2016. It is often referred to as CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement).

CETA was several years in the making, as negotiations were launched in May 2009. The next steps now are approval by the European Parliament in Strasbourg, followed by ratification by the 28 national parliaments of EU member countries and some regional parliaments as well.

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EU and Canada signed CETA

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After the Belgian government managed successfully to get Wallonia on board, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) sets high standards for global trade.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, and European Council President Donald Tusk signed two landmark agreements: the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) during the European Union-Canada Leaders’ Summit in Brussels, Belgium.
The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will generate economic growth and jobs on both sides of the Atlantic and reflects both sides’ commitment to free, fair and progressive trade, for the benefit of nearly 550 million EU and Canadian citizens. A Joint interpretative instrument, which further explains and clarifies the provisions of CETA was also adopted by the leaders, and an agreement was reached to work jointly towards the establishment of an independent and impartial multilateral investment court.
The signature of the Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) lays the foundations for the further strengthening of political dialogue and cooperation between the European Union and Canada. The Agreement will institutionalise and enrich the partnership across a wide range of areas, from foreign and security policy to research and innovation; and from tackling climate change and terrorism to working together in the fields of development cooperation and consular protection.

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BWB – Business with Belgium Dec 6, 2016

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To open the information session at Toronto’s Alliance Française Theatre on December 6, André van der Heyden, VP & COO, Belgian Canadian Business Chamber delivered a brief welcoming statement from H.E. Raoul Delcorde, Ambassador of Belgium to Canada. Click here to see the full statement: message-from-he-delcorde-docx.

Click here for the Agenda: 2016-12-06-bwb-draft-agenda.

Despite recent news stories about the uncertain future of world trade, Joy Nott, President, Canadian Association of Importers and Exporters Inc. (IE Canada), stressed that Canadian exporters must continue developing their strategies to leverage the opportunities arising from CETA (Comprehensive Economic & Trade Agreement) with the European Union and its affluent consumers. Click here for Joy Nott’s presentation: belgium-joy-nott Continue reading →

Thank you 2016

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Dear Members and Friends,

As 2016 comes to a close, I have the pleasure to share with you the highlights of a very busy and successful year for the BCBC. For the second year in a row, we have held a significant number of high-caliber events, and have continued to build on new initiatives to serve you better.

We have added a partnership with CHOQ-FM/GrandToronto.ca and Aline Ayoub HR to those signed previously with the Alliance Française, CanCham BeLux, and MTFX, and we are exploring several others as well.

2016 has been a tumultuous year for Belgians worldwide, and in Toronto in particular. It began with some great news, as just before the New Year, Brussels Airlines announced that they would be launching a new direct flight between Brussels and Toronto; they further approached the BCBC to help with the promotion of this new flight, beginning with an Executive Luncheon in January. We continued to work closely with Brussels Airlines in anticipated March 27th launch of this new service.

Alas, as we all know, March 22nd was a dark day for Belgians as Brussels was the target of coordinated terrorist attacks striking Brussels Airport and the Maelbeek metro station in downtown Brussels. That evening, the BCBC organized a press conference and candlelight vigil at Nathan Phillips Square during which we shared statements from H.E. Raoul Delcorde and ourselves, followed by Mayor John Tory sharing a few words of his own; we are particularly grateful to Mayor Tory for having taken time away from the memorial for his predecessor, Rob Ford, which took place simultaneously at City Hall. The following week, our media partner, CHOQ-FM, provided members of our community with the opportunity to reflect on these atrocities and what it means for Belgians, both at home and abroad.

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Business with Belgium, April 29, 2016

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Christian Frayssignes, Vice-President, Belgian Canadian Business Chamber set the overall tone for the Business with Belgium seminar by reminding attendees that as a small, stable and geographically strategic marketplace, Belgium is an ideal entry point for Canadian exporters to expand into the European Union.

In her brief comments on how the EU functions, Nadiya Nychay, Partner, Dentons Europe LLP, explained that the European Union consists of 28 member countries, 19 of which share a common currency, the Euro and is home to 500 million consumers. Unlike NAFTA, the EU is a customs union with an integrated system of trade and business regulations. However, individual member states still have their own legislation regarding areas over which they hold domestic competency.

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Regarding the topic of choosing a strategy for expanding into Europe, Xavier Van Overmeire, Regional Head of the International Trade Group, Dentons Canada LLP suggested three basic approaches  — direct representation through distributors or agents, licensing technology or formal partnerships. Each brings with it various legal challenges, which can be further complicated by the European civil law regime, similar to the one used in Quebec. It is different from the English common-law tradition found in the rest of Canada. Continue reading →