21 September has been set as the implementation date for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement involving Canada and the European Union.

Brian Innes, the President of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, acknowledges unresolved issues on the beef and pork side related to food safety recognitions and on the crop side related to crop protection products and biotechnology traits will delay full access to Europe for Canadian agri-food exports, but the agreement holds tremendous promise.

Brian Innes-Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance

It's very positive that, after many years, we're finally seeing this agreement between Canada and Europe come into force.

For CAFTA members, and this represents most of our trade dependant export agriculture in Canada, we estimate that the total amount of increased exports that this agreement with Europe will bring is about one and a half billion dollars when it's fully implemented.

That's a pretty big number when you think about all the opportunity that we'll have with better access by getting rid of tariffs, having better control over some of the non-tariff measures as well.

One and a half billion dollars is a pretty big number,

We don't see that coming day one, on 22 September by any means but over time this could be very significant for Canadian agriculture.

Mr Innes says on day one some of the tariffs on canola oil and quotas on low protein wheat will be addressed allowing Canada to export right away, but access for beef and pork will have some difficulties, primarily related to food safety recognitions.

He says inconsistencies with the way Europe looks at certain provisions will means not all of Canada's beef and pork processing plants will meet European requirements on day one and there are concerns related to crop protection products and biotechnology traits that the country includes in its canola, corn and soybeans.