The Canadian Senate last week passed the FTA bill with Colombia despite concerns about human rights violations in the Latin American country, which had held up signing the accord for two years.

Both governments must still set a date for the FTA to come into force. In Bogota, president Alvaro Uribe described the move as "a very good achievement" for Colombia.

The deal is expected to boost Canadian investment in Colombia's mining and oil sectors, as well as increase agricultural exports, primarily wheat and barley. Canada-Colombia trade topped CAD1.3 billion (US$1.26 billion) in 2008, according to the latest figures.

The accord contains several annexes on the environment and labour standards, in part due to concerns in Canada over assassinations of union leaders in Colombia in recent years.

These concerns were the primary reason behind US lawmakers' rejection of a similar US-Colombia free trade deal signed in 2006. The US felt Colombia's assurances were insufficient.

The US and Colombia also signed a free trade agreement, in November 2006. The US Congress, however, has not yet begun debate on the implementing legislation.

Experts said that if the US does not implement its FTA with Colombia, the US will be completely out of the Colombian pork market within ten years because of Canada's FTA tariff advantage.