Wed, Jan 28
|Webinar via Zoom
Webinar: Updates on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA)
Time & Location
Jan 28, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. WIB
Webinar via Zoom
Event Details
Date & Time: January 28, 2026, at 09:30 - 10:30 (Jakarta) | January 27, 2026, at 21:30 - 22:30 (Ottawa)
Organisers: Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and Global Affairs Canada
Format: Virtual via Zoom
Introduction
Canada and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continue to advance negotiations toward a comprehensive ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA). Once concluded, ACAFTA will strengthen Canada and ASEAN’s trade linkages in Southeast Asia, encouragingtrade diversification, resilient supply chains, and inclusive economic growth.
Alongside ACAFTA, Canada is also pursuing bilateral agreements with individual ASEAN Member States (AMS), including the recently-signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Indonesia and the recently-launched bilateral processes with the Philippines and Thailand, in line with its broader trade diversification efforts and Indo-Pacific Strategy. These efforts are key components of Canada’s commitment to deepening economic partnerships and enhancing market access for Canadian businesses across the region.
Objectives
Update on the current status and progress of ACAFTA negotiations, including key chapters under discussion, areas of consensus, and remaining challenges in the negotiation process.
Highlight Canada’s trade policy priorities in ASEAN for 2026, explaining how ACAFTA and related agreements align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and ongoing efforts to deepen engagement with ASEAN member states.
Provide insight on concurrent trade agreement processes in Southeast Asia, including the recently-signed Canada-Indonesia CEPA and the recently-announced bilateral processes with the Philippines and Thailand.
Outline potential commercial benefits and opportunities for Canadian businesses, such as tariff reduction, investment facilitation, market access improvements, and cooperation in priority sectors (e.g., agriculture, clean energy, digital trade, and professional services).
Encourage member feedback and engagement by providing an opportunity for members to share perspectives on market access issues, regional competitiveness, and trade facilitation measures that could inform future advocacy and consultation efforts.