Reading Time: 3 minutes Washington | Reuters — The U.S. and Mexico agreed on Monday to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), putting pressure on Canada to agree to new terms on auto trade and dispute settlement rules to remain part of the three-nation pact. Auto stocks soared and financial markets firmed on the expectation that Canada […] Read more
U.S., Mexico reach NAFTA deal, turning up pressure on Canada
NAFTA ‘hot topics’ said unresolved as deal deadline looms
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday that none of the contentious issues in a new NAFTA trade deal appear to have been resolved, diminishing chances of meeting a Thursday deadline to notify U.S. lawmakers of an agreement. If the notification is not sent by Thursday, U.S. House Speaker Paul […] Read more
B.C. plans trade challenge of Alberta’s wine ban
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Alberta government’s ban on imports of wine from British Columbia is poised to be the first case challenged under the new interprovincial Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). The British Columbia government announced Monday it will formally challenge the Alberta ban through the CFTA dispute settlement process. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley on Feb. 6 ordered […] Read more
WTO should prepare for life without U.S., ex-chief Lamy says
Reading Time: 2 minutes Geneva | Reuters — World Trade Organization countries need to prepare for a future without the United States as a member of the club, former WTO chief Pascal Lamy said on Monday. The U.S. has thrown the WTO into crisis by blocking the appointment of new judges, undermining its dispute settlement system just as it […] Read more
U.S. rejects proposals to unblock NAFTA, but will stay in talks
Reading Time: 3 minutes Montreal | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade chief on Monday dismissed Canadian proposals for unblocking NAFTA modernization talks but pledged to stay at the table, easing concerns about a potentially imminent U.S. withdrawal from the trilateral pact. Trump, who described the 1994 pact as a disaster that has drained manufacturing jobs to Mexico, […] Read more
NAFTA Washington talks said to leave major differences untouched
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — Talks this week to update the North American Free Trade Agreement made some progress on less-controversial chapters and technical language, but did little to resolve deep differences on autos, dispute settlement and a five-year sunset clause, some participants said on Friday. The “intersessional” round in Washington, which did not include trade […] Read more
U.S. hikes NAFTA tension with call for ‘sunset clause’
Reading Time: 3 minutes Arlington, Va. | Reuters — Washington has dramatically increased tensions in talks to renew the North American Free Trade Agreement by proposing that the lifespan of any new deal be limited to five years, people familiar with the negotiations said on Thursday. The proposal for a so-called sunset clause — just one of a series […] Read more
Top U.S. NAFTA negotiator sees no problem with pace of talks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters — The top U.S. negotiator at talks to modernize the NAFTA trade pact on Monday dismissed questions about why his team had so far failed to produce specific proposals on key issues, saying “I don’t see a problem.” Officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada are in Ottawa for the third of […] Read more
NAFTA ministers claim progress in talks
Reading Time: 3 minutes Mexico City | Reuters — Trade Ministers from Canada, Mexico and the United States on Tuesday said they made progress in weekend talks to update the NAFTA trade pact, consolidating language for some proposals and reaffirming their commitment to complete negotiations toward the end of 2017. A trilateral statement issued by U.S. Trade Representative Robert […] Read more
NAFTA negotiators hone in on origin rules, dispute settlement
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators on Friday began digging into some of the thorniest issues in modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement, including rules of origin for goods produced in the region, services trade and a controversial dispute settlement system. A copy of the NAFTA negotiating agenda obtained by Reuters […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
