Tariff tool helps navigating FTA opportunities in Canada

TIN news:  The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) joined forces with the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and Export Development Canada (EDC), to introduce a new Canada Tariff Finder tool, which offers Canadian companies the ability to quickly find information about tariffs that may be added to the goods they export to foreign markets, under the various free trade agreements (FTAs) Canada has made with other countries.

There is no fee to use the service, which is available at www.tariffinder.ca. With just a few clicks, users can search for a product by keyword or by its Harmonized System code and quickly access the tariff data that applies to their products. The tool helps at comparing tariff information across various export markets, and at identifying business opportunities related to the elimination or reduction of tariffs.

As TCS explains, because tariffs vary in each market and for each product—even under free trade agreements—, precise information is crucial for businesses exploring possibilities in a particular market. Accessing specific tariff information has proved challenging for some companies—especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources. The tool addresses this need for more accessible information. 

“Trade agreements unlock new opportunities, and lower the overall costs of doing business. The Canada Tariff Finder will make it easier for Canadian businesses to access tariff information for their products when exploring export opportunities” says Ailish Campbell, Chief Trade Commissioner at Global Affairs Canada.

Markets covered by the tool include the 28 countries of the European Union (EU) under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Mexico and the United States under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), South Korea, Peru, and two of the four members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Switzerland and Iceland. The Canada Tariff Finder already contains the tariff information that will apply upon provisional application of CETA.

It is important to note that the tariff information contained in the tool is for information purposes only. The customs authorities from the importing countries make the final decision on what tariffs apply to imported goods. Users must verify these tariffs with the customs authorities of the country to which they intend to export.