Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, known as CETA, is an international free-trade agreement between Canada and the European Union and its member states. Its government procurement obligations sit in Chapter 19, which sets procedural rules and market-access commitments for covered purchases. The Treasury Board Secretariat policy notice on CETA describes the agreement in these terms.

CETA is one of the trade agreements the Government of Canada lists as containing government procurement obligations. CanadaBuys lists CETA among Canada's trade agreements that buyers must consider. For a supplier, CETA decides which public notices a buyer must publish and which procedures apply to a covered opportunity.

What CETA Chapter 19 contains

Chapter 19 has two parts. The first is a set of procedural rules for covered procurements. The second is Canada's market-access schedule, made up of eight annexes. These annexes identify the covered entities, goods, services, construction services, thresholds and exclusions. CETA's procurement provisions build on commitments under the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement.

The chapter also includes rules on public advertisement and notification. CanadaBuys guidance on tender notices and trade agreements tells buyers that a CETA-covered procurement must follow these provisions, including Article 19.6 on notices.

Federal entities and tender notices under CETA

The Treasury Board Secretariat states that the entities listed in CETA Annex 19-1, Central Government Entities, are subject to the procurement chapter. Covered Canadian entities also include certain Crown corporations and, under applicable commitments, sub-central and other public-sector entities.

Covered federal tender notices must be published through the Government Electronic Tendering Service, which is now accessed through CanadaBuys. Federal notices on CanadaBuys can name CETA among the trade agreements governing a procurement. This applies to advance contract award notices and to competitive solicitations, as in this CanadaBuys tender notice.

CETA thresholds for 2026 to 2027

CETA applies when the procuring entity, the procurement category and the estimated contract value all fall within the agreement's coverage. For January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, the Treasury Board Secretariat lists CETA thresholds of $239,200 for goods and services and $9.2 million for construction in the applicable federal categories. These figures are set out in Treasury Board contracting policy notice 2025-8. They remain subject to the entity and category involved, so a contract above the dollar figure is not automatically covered.

CETA and dredging and marine construction

CETA has a specific effect on marine work. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada states that federal procurement policy for dredging services, and for dredging included in construction-services contracts, was aligned with the negotiated CETA outcome. At or above the CETA construction-services threshold, equipment of Canadian or EU make or manufacture does not require an ISED certificate of qualification. Other equipment may require qualification under specified vessel, ownership and modification conditions. The ISED floating plant clause page sets out these conditions.

What CETA means for a supplier bidding on Canadian public contracts

• Check the tender notice on CanadaBuys. The buyer names CETA there when it governs the procurement.
• Confirm that the entity, category and estimated value place the opportunity within CETA coverage.
• Read the solicitation for the CETA procedures that apply to it.
• Meet the solicitation's own qualification, technical, security, certification and submission requirements. CETA sets market-access and procurement procedures, but it does not replace what an individual solicitation requires.