In June 2020, the Nikkei Asian Review reported that Japanese automakers were deciding to “triple Mexican wages rather than move to the United States” to avoid tariffs on auto parts. [117] Negotiations focused “primarily on car exports, steel and aluminum tariffs, as well as the milk, egg and poultry markets.” A provision “prevents any party from enacting laws that restrict the cross-border flow of data.” [11] Compared to NAFTA, the USMCA increases environmental and labour standards and encourages domestic production of cars and trucks. [12] The agreement also provides up-to-date intellectual property protection, gives the U.S. more access to the Canadian milk market, imposes a quota for Canadian and Mexican auto production, and increases the customs limit for Canadians who purchase U.S. products online from $20 to $150. [13] The full list of differences between USMCA and ALEFTA is listed on the Website of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). [14] Union leaders are preparing a list of work cases that could put them in the provisions of the new dispute settlement agreement, including that of Mexican labour lawyer Susana Prieto Terrazas, who was arrested while trying to create an independent union. But it remains to be seen what kind of sanction the independent bodies responsible for reviewing these cases could possibly impose. Like many Democrats, Lighthizer criticized U.S.

trade deals because it allows both U.S. factories to move abroad and there are no tools to fight those who break the rules. During months of negotiations with Canada, Mexico and democrats in Congress, Mr. Lighthizer established a coalition and made changes to the trade agreement that received broad support between the parties. Lighthizer cited Mexico`s refusal to accept U.S. biotech products – such as genetically modified maize and other crops – as an area in which the United States could present a case under the new trade agreement. Mexico`s labor reforms and the treatment of U.S. media companies are also used by the United States. Lighthizer told lawmakers that his agency would take “early and often” steps to address violations of the agreement`s labor rules to improve wages and working conditions, particularly in Mexico. In the 2016 U.S.

presidential election, Donald Trump`s campaign included a promise to renegotiate or eliminate NAFTA if the renegotiations fail. [21] After the election, Trump made a series of changes that influenced trade relations with other countries. The exit from the Paris Agreement, the cessation of participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and the significantly larger increase in tariffs with China were some of the steps he took, which reinforced the fact that he was serious about changing NAFTA. [22] Much of the debate about the virtues and errors of the USMCA resembles the debate on all free trade agreements (FTAs), such as the nature of free trade agreements as public goods, potential violations of national sovereignty and the role of commercial, labour, environmental and consumer interests in the development of the language of trade agreements. On April 3, 2020, Canada informed the United States and Mexico that it had completed its national process of ratifying the agreement. [104] On April 20, 2020, CBP issued interim execution instructions. This interim regulation was then updated to reflect the published uniform rules and General Note 11. The agreement is the result of a renegotiation between the member states of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which gave informal agreement under the new agreement on 30 September 2018 and officially on 1 October. [10] The USMCA was proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and signed on November 30, 2018 by Trump, Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a secondary event of the