Canada

Top officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada are racing to implement the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Mexican Economy Minister Graciela Márquez Colín said on Wednesday, adding that a teleconference on how best to continue those efforts would be held the same day.

President Trump’s decision to halt travel from many European countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic will hinder services trade between the two countries, analysts tell Inside U.S. Trade.

Business associations and a key Democratic lawmaker are assessing how a June 1 entry-into-force date for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement might be achieved as U.S. companies face a rash of challenges related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Canadian Senate on Friday voted to approve U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement implementing legislation without amendment, advancing the bill more quickly than expected in part due to COVID-19 concerns. 

After a brief stop in Washington, the EU trade commissioner will head to Ottawa.

“The Agreement’s economic impact on the Canadian economy is positive when compared to the effects of a scenario under which the United States withdraws from NAFTA”

Major opposition parties in Canada's Parliament last week expressed concerns over the modified U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, potentially throwing a wrench in the ratification process in Ottawa but not putting the deal's future in serious jeopardy, analysts said this week.

Hoffa: “The renegotiation of NAFTA and the subsequent improvements made by Democratic leadership have resulted in a final package that is superior to the original.”

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) told Inside U.S. Trade that Ways & Means Committee staff was “literally working around the clock” on the deal’s next steps and “living on junk food so hopefully we’ll see something soon.”