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Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement 

Preamble

Canada and the Republic of Honduras (“Honduras”), hereinafter referred to as “the Parties”, resolved to:

Strengthen the special bonds of friendship and cooperation between their peoples;

Contribute to the harmonious development and expansion of world and regional trade and provide a catalyst for broader international cooperation;

Create new employment opportunities, improve working conditions, and improve living standards in their respective territories;

Recognize the differences in the level of development and the size of their economies and create opportunities for economic development;

Create an expanded and secure market for the goods and services produced in their respective territories;

Reduce distortions to trade;

Establish clear and mutually advantageous rules to govern their trade;

Ensure a predictable commercial framework for business planning and investment;

Build on their respective rights and obligations under the WTO Agreement and other multilateral and bilateral instruments of cooperation; 

Enhance the competitiveness of their respective firms in global markets;

Ensure that the benefits of trade liberalization are not undermined by anticompetitive activities;

Promote sustainable development;

Undertake each of the preceding in a manner consistent with environmental protection and conservation;

Enforce environmental law, while recognizing the importance of cooperation to protect the environment and the importance of each Party complying with its domestic and international environmental commitments;

Preserve their flexibility to safeguard the public welfare;

Protect, enhance, and enforce basic workers’ rights;

and

Recognizing the importance of trade facilitation in promoting efficient and transparent procedures to reduce costs and ensure predictability for their importers and exporters;

Recognizing the importance of corporate social responsibility standards and principles and the pursuit of best voluntary practices with enterprises;

Affirming their commitment to respect the values and principles of democracy and to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Affirming the right to fully avail themselves of the flexibilities established in the TRIPS Agreement, including those related to the protection of public health and in particular those to promote the access to medicines for all;

Recognizing that States must maintain the ability to preserve, develop, and implement their cultural policies for the purpose of strengthening cultural diversity, given the essential role that cultural goods and services play in the identity and diversity of societies, and the lives of individuals; and

Recognizing the importance of increased cooperation between them in the areas of labour and environment;

Have agreed as follows:

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