As partner countries prepare for a July 1 joint review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, bilateral talks have been scheduled with Mexico but not Canada.
The USMCA provides for its own termination as of July 1, 2036, unless each party confirms that it wishes to continue the agreement. That confirmation must take place at a joint review that will evaluate the operation of the agreement, consider recommendations for action, and decide on any appropriate actions. If any party does not agree to an extension there will be additional annual joint reviews until agreement is unanimous or the agreement terminates.
On April 20 the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the U.S. and Mexico have agreed to hold their first official bilateral negotiating round for the USMCA review the week of May 25 in Mexico City. In the meantime the two sides “directed their teams to advance important technical discussions this week on economic security and complementary trade actions, strengthened rules of origin for key industrial goods, collaboration on critical minerals, and to resolve outstanding bilateral trade irritants.”
No such formal talks have yet been scheduled with Canada. In preparation for those discussions Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced April 21 a new Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations that will be focused on helping Canada “establish a new economic and security relationship” with the U.S., trade minister Dominic LeBlanc said. LeBlanc will chair the committee, which will comprise two dozen leaders with extensive experience in business, investment, trade, and labor and will hold its first meeting April 27.
Carney and LeBlanc also indicated that talks between Canada and the U.S. could be more challenging than those with Mexico. According to CBC News, both said Ottawa will resist making further concessions in the USMCA negotiations unless the U.S. agrees to changes to its Section 232 tariffs.
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