--than EFTA had in the beginning. A number of EFTA members have joined the EU since we started negotiating with them. That was my fundamental point.
These countries have their own reasons for not joining the EU, but none of those reasons precludes an agreement with us, at least on these narrower tariff barrier issues that sometimes pose difficulties in some sectors.
In our sectors, the tariffs are not an issue. There are other issues that you approach through other means. For instance, we're established as manufacturers, as I mentioned, in Norway and Switzerland, and that is because it helps us to be present in order to be able to sell in that market, not necessarily because of tariff reasons, but because of the way the market is organized.
From a narrow, Bombardier point of view, I would say that this agreement is positive in that it allows a higher level of certainty that if there are issues that concern us as investors, there will be an intergovernmental agreement to which we can appeal and a custom of dealing with these issues between governments that is now in place. So that is a help.
Insofar as this is an agreement that perhaps contributes to progress on an agreement with the EU, I meant to indicate two advantages. One is that it indicates to the members of the EU that Canada is now competing with them in these EFTA countries on a more level playing field, if you like. We are in a free trade relationship with these countries that are physically part of Europe. This is a stimulant to them to regard us as a more serious trading partner than they might have otherwise. The fact that we have a free trade agreement with the United States should also be a stimulant in that respect, but let's leave that aside for the moment.
The second advantage I would think this has in terms of facilitating the process--and I'm not talking about opening doors or breakthroughs or anything dramatic of that kind--is the simple demonstration that it's possible for European countries with highly developed economies to reach a free trade agreement with Canada. This is simply an example, and examples are very helpful to governments when they try to make decisions.
Those were really the two main points I tried to indicate. I hope that was clearer than my first answer.