Text of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement – Chapter seven: Subsidies
Article 7.1 – Definition of a subsidy
1. For the purposes of this Agreement, a subsidy means a measure related to trade in goods, which fulfils the conditions set out in Article 1.1 of the SCM Agreement.
2. A subsidy is subject to this Chapter only if it is specific within the meaning of Article 2 of the SCM Agreement.
Article 7.2 – Transparency
1. Every two years, each Party shall notify the other Party of the following with respect to any subsidy granted or maintained within its territory:
- the legal basis of the subsidy;
- the form of the subsidy; and
- the amount of the subsidy or the amount budgeted for the subsidy.
2. Notifications provided to the WTO under Article 25.1 of the SCM Agreement are deemed to meet the requirement set out in paragraph 1.
3. At the request of the other Party, a Party shall promptly provide information and respond to questions pertaining to particular instances of government support related to trade in services provided within its territory.
Article 7.3 – Consultations on subsidies and government support in sectors other than agriculture and fisheries
1. If a Party considers that a subsidy, or a particular instance of government support related to trade in services, granted by the other Party is adversely affecting, or may adversely affect its interests, it may express its concerns to the other Party and request consultations on the matter. The responding Party shall accord full and sympathetic consideration to that request.
2. During consultations, a Party may seek additional information on a subsidy or particular instance of government support related to trade in services provided by the other Party, including its policy objective, its amount, and any measures taken to limit the potential distortive effect on trade.
3. On the basis of the consultations, the responding Party shall endeavour to eliminate or minimise any adverse effects of the subsidy, or the particular instance of government support related to trade in services, on the requesting Party's interests.
4. This Article does not apply to subsidies related to agricultural goods and fisheries products, and is without prejudice to Articles 7.4 and 7.5.
Article 7.4 – Consultations on subsidies related to agricultural goods and fisheries products
1. The Parties share the objective of working jointly to reach an agreement:
- to further enhance multilateral disciplines and rules on agricultural trade in the WTO; and
- to help develop a global, multilateral resolution to fisheries subsidies.
2. If a Party considers that a subsidy, or the provision of government support, granted by the other Party, is adversely affecting, or may adversely affect, its interests with respect to agricultural goods or fisheries products, it may express its concerns to the other Party and request consultations on the matter.
3. The responding Party shall accord full and sympathetic consideration to that request and will use its best endeavours to eliminate or minimise the adverse effects of the subsidy, or the provision of government support, on the requesting Party's interests with regard to agricultural goods and fisheries products.
Article 7.5 – Agriculture export subsidies
1. For the purposes of this Article:
- export subsidy means an export subsidy as defined in Article 1(e) of the Agreement on Agriculture; and
- full elimination of a tariff means, where tariff quotas exist, the elimination of either the in-quota or over-quota tariff.
2. A Party shall not adopt or maintain an export subsidy on an agricultural good that is exported, or incorporated in a product that is exported, to the territory of the other Party after the other Party has fully eliminated the tariff, immediately or after the transitional period, on that agricultural good in accordance with Annex 2-A (Tariff Elimination), including its Tariff Schedules.
Article 7.6 – Confidentiality
When providing information under this Chapter, a Party is not required to disclose confidential information.
Article 7.7 – Exclusion of subsidies and government support for audio visual services and cultural industries
Nothing in this Agreement applies to subsidies or government support with respect to audio-visual services for the European Union and to cultural industries for Canada.
Article 7.8 – Relationship with the WTO Agreement
The Parties reaffirm their rights and obligations under Article VI of GATT 1994, the SCM Agreement and the Agreement on Agriculture.
Article 7.9 – Dispute settlement
Articles 7.3 and 7.4 of this Chapter are not subject to the dispute settlement provisions of this Agreement.
- Date modified:
