GMA Applauds President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for Beyond the Border Initiative

Bilateral Agreement to Streamline Cross Border Trade between U.S. and Canada



(Washington, DC) – The Grocery Manufacturers Association praised President Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for moving forward on implementation of the Beyond the Border initiative, a bilateral trade and security agreement designed to streamline cross border trade between the two countries through better harmonization of regulatory requirements and inspection protocols.



“We applaud President Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for signing this framework agreement to implement the Beyond the Border initiative,” said Pamela G. Bailey, president & CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. “By reducing duplicative inspection protocols and harmonizing the respective regulatory requirements of each trading partner, this initiative will help to streamline cross border trade between the U.S. and Canada. As always, our commitment to food safety is our number one priority. The changes this initiative will institute will simply make the process of moving goods and services between our two countries more efficient and cost effective for both government and industry.”



“The food, beverage and consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry exports $50 billion worth of goods to 215 countries around the globe, generating a $10 billion trade surplus. By streamlining cross border trade between the U.S. and Canada, Beyond the Border will help to build on that record of success. GMA and its members look forward to working with the regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Canada as they begin to implement this important initiative,” concluded Ms. Bailey.