Canada–Czech Republic relations

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Canadian-Czech Republic relations
Map indicating locations of Canada and Czech Republic

Canada

Czech Republic

Canada–Czech Republic relations are foreign relations between Canada and the Czech Republic. Canada has an embassy in Prague. The Czech Republic has an embassy in Ottawa, consulate general in Toronto and honorary consulate in Calgary.

Both countries are full members of NATO and of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. There are around 98,000 people of Czech descent living in Canada. [citation needed]

Visa dispute

In July 2009, Canada reinstated the requirement for people from the Czech Republic to have visas before entering Canada due to a high number of asylum seekers from the Czech Republic, mainly Roma, who allegedly abused the Canadian asylum system.[1]

The Czech Republic reciprocated by recalling its ambassador to Canada for consultations, imposing visa requirement for holders of Canadian diplomatic and official passports, and asking the European Commission to require visas for Canadian citizens to enter the European Union.[2][3] (The Czech Republic, as a member of the Schengen Zone, cannot unilaterally implement visa requirements or controls for Canadian citizens).

On 6 May 2009 at the Canada-EU Summit in Prague (Czech Republic's capital) started negotiations of Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a proposed free trade and copyright agreement between Canada and the European Union. Signing and ratification by the Czech Republic are required for CETA to come into effect.[4] Czech Republic declared it won't do either until the visa requirements by Canada are lifted.[5][6]

On 14 Nov 2013 the Canadian ambassador to the Czech Republic Otto Jelinek announced reinstatement of visa-free regime for Czech citizens.[1]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b CeskeNoviny: Canada to announce lifting visas for Czechs today
  2. ^ "Czechs impose visas on Canadian diplomats". Czech Press Agency. 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  3. ^ "Czech PM says he wonders how rest of EU will react to visas". Czech Press Agency. 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2013-03-01.
  4. ^ The Star. Toronto http://www.thestar.com/business/2012/04/26/canadaeurope_trade_deal_risks_derailment_over_visa_spat.html. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ http://hn.ihned.cz/c1-60249600-viza-do-kanady-brzy-skonci
  6. ^ http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ct24/domaci/234748-cesi-budou-uz-brzy-letat-do-kanady-opet-bez-viz/

External links