Ukraine, Canada expand free trade agreement

According to an Ukrinform correspondent, the Prime Ministers of Canada and Ukraine, Justin Trudeau and Denys Shmyhal, took part in a signing ceremony in Toronto on Tuesday, April 11.

In addition, Canada and Ukraine concluded an Agreement on Youth Mobility that will facilitate travel and employment for young people from both countries.

Shmyhal is on a one-day visit to Canada on April 11. He has already held talks with Trudeau, Minister of National Defense Anita Anand, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Government of Canada regarding youth exchanges was signed in the autumn of 2010 by the then Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, during his first visit to Ukraine. The document proposed introducing a simplified regime for mutual travel by young people from both countries for education and employment. The memorandum, however, never gained full legal force and its validity was officially terminated a few years later. Today, the validity of the agreement has been restored.

The free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine entered into force on August 1, 2017 and allowed for the mutual cancellation or reduction of import duties on most goods. When the original agreement was concluded, it was agreed that in the future it would be expanded to the sphere of services and investments.