Notice of Intent to Conduct a Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement

On March 25, 2012, Prime Minister Harper and Japanese Prime Minister Noda announced the launch of comprehensive economic partnership agreement (EPA) negotiations, or free trade negotiations, in Tokyo, Japan.

The Government of Canada is conducting an Environmental Assessment (EA) to inform these free trade negotiations. Comments are invited on any likely and significant environmental impacts on Canada of a prospective FTA with Japan.

The Government of Canada is committed to sustainable development. Mutually supportive trade, investment and environmental policies can contribute to this objective. To this end, the Minister of International Trade has directed trade officials to seek info and otherwise improve their understanding of the relationship between trade and environmental issues at the earliest stages of decision making, and to do this through an open and inclusive process. Environmental assessments of trade negotiations are critical to this work.

This process is guided by the 2001 Framework for Conducting Environmental Assessments of Trade Negotiations and with direction from the 2010 Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan, and Program Proposals.

For more information, please visit the following Web sites:

• Launch of Free Trade Negotiations with Japan
• Canada-Japan Joint Study Report.

All interested parties are invited to submit their views on any likely and significant environmental impacts on Canada resulting from the prospective Canada-Japan EPA by January 23, 2013.

Contributions can be sent by email, fax or mail to:

Canada-Japan EPA Environmental Assessment
Trade Policy and Negotiations, Asia Division (TPA)
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2
Fax: 613-944-5119
Email: EAconsultationsEE@international.gc.ca