CERT - About Us

CERT delivers 2001 report and recommendations to Minister Pettigrew and senior business representatives

On the occasion of the December 18th Canada-EU Summit, a CERT delegation of senior business leaders met with Canadian Minister for International Trade Pierre Pettigrew and EU representatives to deliver their report on the highly successful CERT CEO Round Table and Symposium of 28 & 29 November in Brussels.

The Hon. Pierre Pettigrew, Canadian Minister for International Trade (centre left) is presented with the CERT 2001 CEO Round Table and Symposium Report & Recommendations by Dan Gagnier, Senior Vice-President of Alcan Inc. Also present are André Bouchard, CERT Canada Executive Director (far left) and Ron Baker, CERT Europe Executive Director at the far right.

The focal point of the report was the 2001 CERT Interest Group key theme work on competition policy, specifically, the need for the multilateral convergence of rules and procedures in the area of merger review. Interest Group participants included Interbrew, EADS, Alcan, BIAC to the OECD, Confederation of British Industry, Confederation of German Industry (BDI), the International Bar Association, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Consumers’ Association. Discussions culminated at the CERT CEO Round Table and at the CERT Symposium, which took place the following day and was focused specifically on the 2001 competition key theme.

In delivering the results of the report, Dan Gagnier, Alcan Senior Vice-President, challenged the governments of Canada and the EU to spearhead the development of a multilateral framework for convergence of merger review processes. Gagnier outlined the importance of this initiative in eliminating a major barrier to doing business both between Canada and the EU, and worldwide. “Multiple merger reviews carry enormous costs both directly (filing fees, management time), and indirectly (investment uncertainty, delayed transactions),” he said. “In efforts to eliminate this unnecessary barrier to investment and business growth, CERT believes that the two governments should carefully consider the recommendations outlined in this report.”

CERT has requested formal response to its recommendations on the occasion of the May 2002 EU-Canada Summit in Madrid.

Minister Pettigrew welcomed the report and congratulated CERT on the forum's progress over the past year. “The European Union is a high priority for Canada and Canadian business firms,” said Minister Pettigrew. “We need to continue our dialogue in order to intensify this important relationship. As the only business organisation devoted to Canada-EU relations, CERT is instrumental in this process. I encourage Canadian companies to join this worthwhile organisation.”

Minister Pettigrew further outlined that while the forum for trade negotiations would differ, the key was to know which issues are of high-priority to the business community, again stressing the need for focused private sector input.

In addition to providing this continued private sector input to the Canadian and EU governments for WTO and ECTI negotiations, CERT will hold a second annual CEO Round Table and Symposium in Canada in October 2002, to be focused on the key theme of competitiveness.