Contact us at office@eu-canada.com

About the EU Chamber of Commerce in Canada – West

Facilitating trade & investment

Mission Statement

  • To facilitate trade and investments between EU and Canada with a special focus on Western Canada.
  • To increase public awareness of CETA and to support & promote the EU-Canada trade in Western Canada
  • To complement activities of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Toronto
  • To liaison with EU and Canadian Diplomatic Posts and government agencies and all strategic partners from public and private sectors operating in Canada and all EU member states

…between Canada and the European Union.

Rationale

The EU is Canada’s second-largest trading partner and the world’s largest integrated economy, with more than 500 million consumers and a GDP of over $17 trillion. The Comprehensive and Economic Agreement (CETA) represents Canada’s most significant trade initiative since the much debated and divisive North American Free Trade Agreement.

Western Canada is under-represented in the trade dynamic with the EU, particularly regarding small and medium sized companies. Whereas large corporations can marshal considerable resources to facilitate internationalization, SMEs often underestimate their potential to be successful internationally, to become a “micro-multinational” in effect, because they lack knowledge of foreign markets and because of perceived obstacles. Among these perceived obstacles are difficulties in identifying market opportunities and entry strategies, choosing reliable foreign partners, accessing financing, overcoming trade barriers, and complying with security and authentication requirements.

While the West historically and naturally looks towards Asia as its most important secondary trade partner, with the signing of CETA, bilateral opportunities will flourish and SMEs in Western Canada need to position themselves in order to capitalize upon those opportunities.

Over the past two decades in Vancouver, most of the trade and business associations dealing primarily with single member states have closed their doors, gone dormant or moved elsewhere. Yet now, as never before, the presence of an organization facilitating trade and investment with the European Union would be required to assist companies in Canada and the EU capitalize on the market liberalization that CETA will bring.

Activities and Goals

We focus on activities within industry sectors prominent in Western Canada:

  • High Tech (ICT, Clean Tech, Digital Media, Film, Life Sciences)
  • Aerospace
  • Agrifoods
  • Energy & Environment
  • Forest Products
  • Natural resources
  • Construction & Development
  • Innovation/R&D
  • Tourism
  • Investments

Strategic Partners

From Canada:

  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Canadian Trade Commissioner Service
  • Provincial Governments in Western Canada
  • European Union Chamber of Commerce in Toronto
  • Enterprise Canada Network
  • Chambers of Commerce
  • Industry associations

From Europe:

  • EU Delegation to Canada and European Member States Diplomatic Posts in Canada
  • Chambers of Commerce in EU Member States
  • Europe Enterprise Network
  • Trade Associations in Europe

With a special focus on Western Canada.