Canadian Trade Minister coming to Slovakia

Canada’s International Trade Minister Peter Van Loan will come to Slovakia on 20 July to meet with Slovak Foreign Affairs Minister Mikulas Dzurinda, Economy Minister Juraj Miskov, representatives of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a group of Canadian businessmen active in various sectors of the Slovak economy.

The main purpose of Van Loan’s visit is to discuss the status of negotiations on the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Slovak Government members and entrepreneurs.

Dusan Pastorek of the Canadian Embassy said the negotiations initiated at the Canada-EU summit in Prague in 2009 are going well. “The purpose is to conclude an ambitious agreement to bolster trade and investments between the EU and Canada,” he said.

Van Loan will be signing intergovernmental agreements that will provide young people with new opportunities for professional growth by cultural and work experience abroad, and also on the protection of foreign investments.

“His presence here will support Canadian business interests in Slovakia, and underline the importance of strong bilateral relations to Canada,” said Pastorek.