CETA conference, May 5-6 2014
On 18 October 2013 the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union was signed in principle. CETA will grant Canada access to the biggest economy of the world. While the details of CETA are not yet in the public domain, it is clear that CETA will impact the relationship between Canada and the EU very substantially. Indeed, as the name already suggests, CETA goes well beyond trade and addresses foreign direct investment, labour mobility, and public procurement, amongst other important areas.There is still substantial uncertainty about what the final agreement will look like, in part because negotiation of the details of the agreement is ongoing.
The purpose of the conference was to bridge the gap between the theory (the law, international trade theory, political economy, etc) and the practice of international trade. One central theme was to further our understanding of what led to this this particular agreement. Another was to build on the available extensive theoretical and practical wisdom and assess the practical implications for industry and other stakeholders.
Academics and practitioners from across Canada and abroad traveled to Victoria to participate in this two-day conference. The conference offered multidisciplinary academic and practical perspectives on this important milestone in the Canada-EU relationship. Government, business, legal, and academic experts shared a diverse range of perspectives and opinions on the agreement. The conference was free and open to the public, and over 50 people participated. To access the presentations, please click on the links below.
Program:
This activity was funded by the European Union Centre of Excellence.
May 5th, 2014
1:00-2:15pm: Pre-conference workshop: "How to Understand and Influence the EU"
- Adam Steinhouse, Affliated Professor, National School of Public Administration
2:45-3:00pm: Opening remarks and welcome
- Dr. Peter Keller, Dean, Faculty of Social Science, UVic
- Dr. David McCutcheon, Associate Dean, Gustavson School of Business, UVic
3:00-4:45pm: Session 1: Creating the CETA
- Chair: Amy Verdun, Professor, Department of Political Science, UVic
- Janel Quiring, Director, International Trade Policy, BC Ministry of International Trade
- Robert Finbow, Professor, Political Science, Dalhousie University
- Valerie D'Erman, Department of Political Science, UVic
- Adam Steinhouse, Affiliated Professor, National School of Public Administration
- "An EU perspective on the CETA Agreement"
7:00-8:30pm: Session 2 (Public Panel): CETA: Negotiations and implications
- Chair: Ailish Campbell, Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Vice President Policy, International & Fiscal Issues
- Debra Steger, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
- "CETA- A New Frontier"
- Janel Quiring, Director, International Trade Policy, BC Ministry of International Trade
- "CETA: Implications for BC"
- Keith Head, Professor, Sauder School of Busines, University of British Columbia
- "CETA: Right countries, wrong agreement?"
- Rick Harris, Professor of Economics, Simon Fraser University
- "Regional trade agreements: are we getting to free trade?"
May 6th, 2014
8:15-9:00am: Arrival of participants; informal coffee/tea/breakfast
9:00-10:45am: Session 3: CETA: Legal perspectives
- Chair: Martha O'Brien, Professor, Faculty of Law, UVic
- Debra Steger, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
- Celine Levesque, Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
- "The Investment Chapter of CETA and the Art of Compromise"- handout
- Andrew Newcomb, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, UVic
- Geoffrey Loomer, Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
10:45-11:15am: Break
11:15am-1:00pm: Session 4: CETA and business
- Chair: Paul Schure, Associate Professor, Department of Economics, UVic
- Jock Finlayson, Executive Vice President & Cheif Policy Officer, Business Council of British Columbia
- Ailish Campbell, Vice President Policy, International and Fiscal Issues, Canadian Council of Chief Executives
- "CETA in the Global Drive for New Customers"
- Kevin Boon, General Manager, Bc Cattlemen's Association
- "CETA: Agricultural Advantages"
- Karsten Mecklenburg, Head of Trade & Economic Section, Delegation of the EU to Canada, Ottawa
1:00-2:30pm: Lunch
2:30-4:15pm: Session 5: The economics of CETA
- Chair: Jen Baggs, Associate Professor, Gustavson School of Business, UVic
- Patrick LeBlond, Associate Professor, Public Policy, University of Ottawa
- G. Cornelis van Kooten, Professor, Department of Economics, UVic
- Leif Hoffmann, Assistant Professor, Social Sciences Division, Lewis-Clark State College
- Eugene Beaulieu, Professor, Department of Economics; and Director, International Economics Program, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
- Graham Voss, Professor, Department of Economics, UVic
- Session Synopsis: "The Economics of CETA"
4:15pm: Concluding remarks
- Amy Verdun, Professor, Department of Political Science, UVic