Trade Agreements Between Canada and Switzerland
The only trade agreement between Canada and Switzerland would be the European Free Trade Associations (EFTA). EFTA was first established and put into use in July 2009. The free trade agreement (FTA) between Canada and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland is a goods-only agreement with an emphasis on tariff elimination. It establishes a commitment to review the Agreement with a view to considering the scope for possible expansion of the FTA into areas such as services, investment, and intellectual property at a later date.
Lufthansa has participated in a strategically and commercially important joint ventures for several year with the A++ transatlantic joint venture with United Airlines and Air Canada. Although the joint venture isn’t strictly between Switzerland and Canada it is still the closest thing to a joint venture between Canada and Switzerland. The A++ multilateral, transatlantic joint venture exists between Lufthansa – together with Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines – Air Canada and the new United Airlines (UA with CO). A++ emerged from previous bilateral joint ventures between Lufthansa and United Airlines and Air Canada, respectively. It covers all of the airlines’ North Atlantic routes and associated connecting flights. A++ offers customers a choice of nearly 300 transatlantic flights daily between Europe and North America (USA, Canada) to 61 destinations. These are linked to hundreds of connecting flights from the airlines’ hubs.By coordinating key areas and virtually bundling resources, airlines can make better use of available capacity. This becomes easier with harmonized, combinable fares and the joint marketing of flights, which takes advantage of the partners’ sales strength in their home markets. This is important as this joint venture helps both Switzerland and Canada in their respective areas.
Switzerland’s membership status in the following international organizations:
World Trade Organization: Still a Member
World economic Forum: Still a Member
Organizations for Economic Cooperation and Development: Still a Member
World Bank Group: Still a Member
International Monetary fund: Still a Member
Other Free Trade Agreements
Free trade agreements are designed to improve business links with important partners around the world. They aim to eliminate or at least minimize barriers to international markets for the Swiss economy. Custom duties and non-tariff trade barriers (e.g. technical regulations, packaging and labelling regulations, import quotas) are to be reduced.In addition to the EFTA agreement and the free trade agreement with the European Union, Switzerland currently has a network of 28 free trade agreements with 38 partners outside the EU, and new agreements are continually being negotiated.Most of the Swiss agreements are concluded within the context of the European Free Trade Association(EFTA). In addition, Switzerland is also entitled to negotiate free trade agreements without the involvement of EFTA, as was the case, for example, with China, Japan and the Faroe Islands.
Both in terms of bilateral trade and direct investments, Canada is Switzerland’s second most important economic partner in the Americas. In multilateral forums, the policies the two countries adopt tend to coincide, leading to mutually beneficial cooperation. As a member of the G8 and of the G20, Canada plays a major role in questions of interest to Switzerland, i.e. international finance and taxation issues.Bilateral trade in 2012 amounted to CHF 3.2 bill. with a large surplus in favour of Switzerland. Moreover, Switzerland is the 5th largest foreign investor in Canada with a capital stock of CHF 31.8 bill. at the end of 2011. In terms of employment by Swiss firms, this translates into 57’000 jobs in Canada. These agreements that Switzerland’s have helps both Canada and Switzerland at the end of the day.
The only trade agreement between Canada and Switzerland would be the European Free Trade Associations (EFTA). EFTA was first established and put into use in July 2009. The free trade agreement (FTA) between Canada and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland is a goods-only agreement with an emphasis on tariff elimination. It establishes a commitment to review the Agreement with a view to considering the scope for possible expansion of the FTA into areas such as services, investment, and intellectual property at a later date.
Lufthansa has participated in a strategically and commercially important joint ventures for several year with the A++ transatlantic joint venture with United Airlines and Air Canada. Although the joint venture isn’t strictly between Switzerland and Canada it is still the closest thing to a joint venture between Canada and Switzerland. The A++ multilateral, transatlantic joint venture exists between Lufthansa – together with Austrian Airlines, SWISS and Brussels Airlines – Air Canada and the new United Airlines (UA with CO). A++ emerged from previous bilateral joint ventures between Lufthansa and United Airlines and Air Canada, respectively. It covers all of the airlines’ North Atlantic routes and associated connecting flights. A++ offers customers a choice of nearly 300 transatlantic flights daily between Europe and North America (USA, Canada) to 61 destinations. These are linked to hundreds of connecting flights from the airlines’ hubs.By coordinating key areas and virtually bundling resources, airlines can make better use of available capacity. This becomes easier with harmonized, combinable fares and the joint marketing of flights, which takes advantage of the partners’ sales strength in their home markets. This is important as this joint venture helps both Switzerland and Canada in their respective areas.
Switzerland’s membership status in the following international organizations:
World Trade Organization: Still a Member
World economic Forum: Still a Member
Organizations for Economic Cooperation and Development: Still a Member
World Bank Group: Still a Member
International Monetary fund: Still a Member
Other Free Trade Agreements
Free trade agreements are designed to improve business links with important partners around the world. They aim to eliminate or at least minimize barriers to international markets for the Swiss economy. Custom duties and non-tariff trade barriers (e.g. technical regulations, packaging and labelling regulations, import quotas) are to be reduced.In addition to the EFTA agreement and the free trade agreement with the European Union, Switzerland currently has a network of 28 free trade agreements with 38 partners outside the EU, and new agreements are continually being negotiated.Most of the Swiss agreements are concluded within the context of the European Free Trade Association(EFTA). In addition, Switzerland is also entitled to negotiate free trade agreements without the involvement of EFTA, as was the case, for example, with China, Japan and the Faroe Islands.
Both in terms of bilateral trade and direct investments, Canada is Switzerland’s second most important economic partner in the Americas. In multilateral forums, the policies the two countries adopt tend to coincide, leading to mutually beneficial cooperation. As a member of the G8 and of the G20, Canada plays a major role in questions of interest to Switzerland, i.e. international finance and taxation issues.Bilateral trade in 2012 amounted to CHF 3.2 bill. with a large surplus in favour of Switzerland. Moreover, Switzerland is the 5th largest foreign investor in Canada with a capital stock of CHF 31.8 bill. at the end of 2011. In terms of employment by Swiss firms, this translates into 57’000 jobs in Canada. These agreements that Switzerland’s have helps both Canada and Switzerland at the end of the day.