Phil Hogan, the Commissioner for Agriculture, will head the EU trade delegation that will visit Canada, from April 30 to May 3, to boost EU trade and exports, once the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA), which virtually dismantles all the tariffs for all fruits and vegetables, enters into force.
The delegation will be composed of representatives of the EU's main agricultural food sectors. The Secretary General of EUCOFEL, Alba Ridao, is part of the delegation that will accompany the Commissioner of Agriculture and that will participate in the meetings organized by the European Commission.
In 2015, Community exports of fresh fruit and vegetables to Canada amounted to 78,673 tons worth 95 million euro. Vegetable exports totaled 28,173 tons, while fruit exports amounted to 66,758, according to the European Statistics Office, Eurostat.
In 2016, Spain exported 43,640 tons of fresh fruits and vegetables worth 57.2 million euro to Canada. Spanish exports to Canada are characterized by an increasing diversity, both in vegetables and fruits. Fruit exports amounted to 35,080 tons and vegetable exports to 8,522 tons, according to data from the General Directorate of Customs, processed by FEPEX.
The President of FEPEX, Jorge Brotons, currently holds the Presidency of the European Fruit and Vegetable Trade Association, EUCOFEL. The three main goals of this Association are to defend and improve the competitiveness of the community's production and export of fruits and vegetables, defending free Competition in the Community's internal market, and opening markets in third countries.
Source: fepex.es