Overview of Canada-Jordan free trade agreement and the environment
Agreement on the Environment
The Agreement on the Environment between Canada and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (the Canada-Jordan Environment Agreement) was signed on June 28, 2009. Once in force, this Agreement will commit both countries to ensure high levels of domestic environmental protection, to foster good environmental governance and to promote transparency and public participation. It will also create a framework for undertaking environmental cooperative activities.
The Environment Agreement, signed in parallel to the Canada-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (FTA), reinforces the concept that trade and environmental protection are mutually supportive. The FTA itself also includes environment provisions and a principles-based Environment chapter.
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Key Elements of the Environment Agreement
Under the Canada-Jordan Environment Agreement, the countries commit to:
- ensure that their laws and policies provide for high levels of environmental protection;
- effectively enforce their environmental laws;
- not relax their environmental laws in order to encourage trade or investment;
- ensure that procedures for environmental impact assessment are maintained;
- ensure that proceedings are available to provide sanctions or remedies for violations of their environmental laws; and
- encourage voluntary best practices of corporate social responsibility.
The Environment Agreement also includes enforcement and complaint mechanisms, which:
- allow residents in the territory of either Party to submit written questions to either country regarding any obligation under the Agreement;
- provide that any resident in the territory of either Party can request an investigation of alleged violations of environmental laws in his or her country; and
- establish a dispute resolution mechanism for both governments to address any matter that may arise under the Agreement.
The Environment Agreement will further create a framework to undertake environmental cooperative activities.
For more information on the Environment Agreement, please refer to the Summary of the Canada-Jordan Environment Agreement .
Environment Elements in the FTA
The FTA itself also includes environment provisions and an Environment Chapter that:
- recognize the need to implement the FTA in a manner consistent with environmental protection and conservation;
- recognize the importance of balancing trade obligations and environmental obligations; and,
- affirm environmental obligations under domestic law, as well as their international obligations under multilateral environmental agreements.
Committee and Cooperative Activities
The implementation of the Canada-Jordan Environment Agreement will be overseen by a Committee on the Environment, made up of government officials from both countries.
The countries are to decide on priority areas and create a work program of environment-related cooperative activities.
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