Free Trade Agreement between Ecuador and Canada

ECIJA Ecuador’s Energy and Natural Resources practice has published a new briefing note on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Ecuador and Canada, signed on 24 July 2026, a new-generation trade agreement that aims to liberalise bilateral trade, strengthen investment protection and establish common rules in areas such as services, competition, telecommunications, intellectual property, labour, the environment and dispute settlement. The agreement will enter into force once both countries have completed their respective internal ratification procedures.

The agreement comprises 29 chapters and represents a significant step towards strengthening economic relations between the two countries. Among its main benefits is the liberalisation of market access, which will allow 99.6 per cent of Ecuador’s exportable goods to enter the Canadian market duty-free once the treaty enters into force, whilst maintaining protective measures for certain agricultural products considered strategic for Ecuador.

Our briefing note analyses the most relevant aspects of the treaty, including the provisions on investment protection, which establish standards of fair treatment and mechanisms for the settlement of disputes between investors and states; the rules governing cross-border trade in services and telecommunications, aimed at providing greater regulatory certainty; as well as the rules on competition, transparency and dispute resolution between states.

It also examines the ratification procedures that must be completed in Ecuador and Canada before the treaty enters into force, emphasising that tariff preferences, investment protections and the other benefits provided for will only apply once the relevant constitutional and approval procedures have been completed in both countries.

We invite you to read our briefing note to learn about the scope of the Free Trade Agreement between Ecuador and Canada, its main provisions and the opportunities this agreement may create for companies, investors and economic operators conducting business across both jurisdictions.