– During my meeting on Tuesday with Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, we agreed to modernize the old trade agreement. Norway has strong historical ties with Canada. We share fundamental values and a common responsibility in the Arctic. I believe Norway must strengthen its economic ties with like-minded countries such as Canada, says Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth.

The trade agreement between the EFTA states and Canada entered into force on 1 July 2008 and has since provided zero tariffs on exports of industrial goods between the countries.

Norway has long sought to modernize the trade agreement, and agreement on this was reached this week following a meeting between Minister of Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth and Canada’s trade minister.

The meeting was arranged after Minister Myrseth visited Canada in early March to attend the world’s largest mineral conference (PDAC) and to initiate efforts to strengthen economic ties between Norway and Canada.

The 2008 agreement mainly covers trade in goods and tariffs.

– The agreement with Canada has served us well, but it does not reflect today’s commercial relations between Canada and Norway. We have several Canadian companies operating in Norway, and we sell knowledge and services to each other. These are areas not covered by the current trade agreement. This is also export and trade between Norway and Canada, and concerns many Norwegian jobs, says Minister Myrseth.

More information about Norway’s trade agreements is available at: www.handelsavtaler.no

About trade between Norway and Canada

  • In 2025, total trade in goods between Norway and Canada was approximately NOK 27.5 billion.
  • In 2025, total trade in services between Norway and Canada was approximately NOK 19.6 billion, of which about NOK 13.4 billion was Norwegian exports of services.
  • Total direct investments (ownership in companies) between Canada and Norway amounted to approximately NOK 70.6 billion in 2025, of which Canadian direct investment in Norway accounted for approximately NOK 36.8 billion.
  • The trade agreement was the first EFTA agreement to establish minimum guarantees for workers’ rights. The agreement does not cover trade in services, investments or public procurement, but commits the parties to negotiate new agreements in these areas.