The Government of Canada launched public consultations on Canada’s future possible accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) between Chile, New Zealand, and Singapore (DEPA Parties).
The DEPA was signed by Chile, New Zealand and Singapore on June 12, 2020, and officially entered into force on January 7, 2021, for New Zealand and Singapore. The DEPA is a new type of international trade policy instrument that addresses a range of emerging digital economy issues, including artificial intelligence, digital identities, and digital inclusion. It builds upon the digital trade or e-commerce chapters of existing free trade agreements (FTAs), with enhanced commitments related to the facilitation of digital trade and multi-party cooperation on a range of advanced technologies. It is constructed as a “living agreement,” which means that it allows for continual updates and modernization as required.
The DEPA builds upon existing trade agreement commitments that the DEPA Parties have included in their e-commerce chapters of free trade agreements such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is an “open plurilateral” agreement, which other World Trade Organization members are eligible to accede to.
The purpose of this consultation is to inform Canada’s positions and interests prior to engaging in possible accession negotiations with the DEPA Parties. The Government of Canada is seeking individual and stakeholder views on the DEPA text (PDF) as well as views on how the DEPA could be updated to advance international digital trade and address any trade barriers.
The text of the agreement is publicly available here.
As part of the launch of public consultations, a Canada Gazette notice was published on March 20. The consultation period is 45 days and ends on May 3. More information on the Government’s consultations on Canada’s possible accession to the DEPA can be found on the Global Affairs Canada consultation webpage.
All interested parties are invited to submit their written input regarding Canada’s possible accession to the DEPA by May 3, 2021. Input can be sent to
DEPA Accession Consultations
Services Trade Policy Division (TMS)
Global Affairs Canada
111 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G2
Email: TMSconsultation@international.gc.ca