Mexico

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.”

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement protocol of amendment signed by the three countries last week is drawing praise from labor analysts and business representatives for its tweaks to some provisions in the original deal, but the efficacy of a new rapid-response enforcement tool is stirring some concern.

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.”

In the late-stage U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiations that ended this week, Mexico accepted a version of a labor enforcement mechanism and penalties for workers’ rights violations it had initially rejected because of a range of additional requirements that were attached to the proposals, Mexico’s chief trade negotiator told Inside U.S. Trade in an interview this week.

BRT: “We are very disappointed that the deal announced yesterday removes or weakens important intellectual property protections.”

Public Citizen's Lori Wallach said the deal was “not the template for future agreements, but establishes the floor from which we will continue to advocate for a new model of trade and globalization.”

At a signing ceremony for an addendum to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on Tuesday, Mexico’s chief trade negotiator disputed “declarations” he said were made in the U.S. by insisting Mexico did not accept a labor-enforcement mechanism involving the deployment of U.S. inspectors.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Ways & Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA), along with other Democrats, on Tuesday unveiled new tweaks to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and said a vote on an implementing bill could come as soon as next week.

After discussing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Monday evening, key House Democrats said they expected an announcement of an adjusted deal to be made on Tuesday, when top officials from the three countries are slated to meet in Mexico.