North American Free Trade Agreement

President Trump used a meeting with Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday to assess where they stood on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, according to participants who said they stressed the importance of enforceability during the brief discussion.

“If these tariffs aren’t lifted, USMCA is dead.”

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer beginning on Thursday, Japanese officials confirmed to Inside U.S. Trade, a day before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with President Trump in Washington, DC.

Former congressional trade committee lawyers this week expressed little optimism that the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement would be ratified this year, with many questioning President Trump’s willingness to address Democratic concerns and ensure a vote before August recess.

Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. on Monday defended labor reform legislation required by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is expected to pass the Mexican Senate this week, as sufficient to ease U.S. concerns with the country’s labor compliance, calling on Democrats to be clearer about what they need to back the deal.

A resolution to a dispute with Canada and Mexico over steel and aluminum tariffs is the administration’s top trade priority after the ongoing U.S.-China negotiations, which could lead to a deal as soon as next month, a senior USTR official said on Thursday.

House Ways & Means Democrats this week singled out a lack of “May 10” agreement language and a host of enforcement issues in questioning whether the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will lead to “meaningful” environmental improvements.

As U.S. and Japanese officials begin high-level trade talks this week, analysts are weighing the pros and cons of quickly concluding a bilateral deal -- a goal of some senior U.S. officials.

“We need a trade policy that works for workers, not just the CEOs of large corporations.”