Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

Chapter Seventeen - Environment

Article 1701: Affirmations

1. The Parties recognize that each Party has sovereign rights and responsibilities to conserve and protect its environment and affirm their environmental obligations under their domestic law, as well as their international obligations under multilateral environmental agreements to which they are party.

2. The Parties recognize the mutual supportiveness between trade and environment policies and the need of implementing this Agreement in a manner consistent with environmental protection and conservation and sustainable use of their resources.

Article 1702: Non-derogation

Neither Party shall encourage trade or investment by weakening or reducing the levels of protection afforded in their respective environmental laws.

Article 1703: Agreement on Environment

In furtherance of these principles, the Parties have set out their mutual obligations in the Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Republic of Colombia (“Agreement on the Environment”) that addresses, inter alia:

(a) conservation, protection and improvement of the environment in the territory of each Party for the well being of present and future generations;

(b) a commitment not to derogate from domestic environmental laws in order to encourage trade or investment;

(c) conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and protection and preservation of traditional knowledge;

(d) development of, compliance with and enforcement of environmental laws;

(e) transparency and public participation on environmental matters; and

(f) cooperation between the Parties on the advancement of environmental issues of common interest.

Article 1704: Relationship between this Agreement and the Agreement on the Environment

1. The Parties recognize the importance of balancing trade obligations and environmental obligations, and affirm that the Agreement on the Environment complements this Agreement, and that the two are mutually supportive.

2. The Commission shall consider, as appropriate, reports and recommendations from the Committee on Environment established under the Agreement on Environment, in respect of any trade and environment-related issues.