USTR

BUENOS AIRES – U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Friday said the U.S., Mexico and Canada would focus on a resolution to U.S. Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum now that the three countries have signed their new trade deal, adding that an agreement on the tariffs was never going to be part of NAFTA renegotiation talks.

BUENOS AIRES – The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement will be signed on Friday without the countries reaching a resolution on Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, sources tell Inside U.S. Trade, though trade ministers worked through the night on the issue.

Technology organizations and analysts say the digital trade chapter of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is unlikely to require many legal changes, contending it is designed to handle future barriers to digital trade instead.

“Our industries want to support this new agreement when it faces Congressional review, but that depends heavily on having an overall package that benefits, rather than harms, our long-term ability to survive in a global economy.”

After speaking with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) said the two were on the same page on changes that must be made for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to receive support from Democrats.

After a nine-year hiatus, the countries “discussed a broad range of issues, including bilateral trade and investment flows, cooperation projects, intellectual property aspects related to trade, investment issues, and trade in agricultural and fishery products.”

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is recommending that Congress review with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative the possibility of initiating cases at the World Trade Organization challenging Chinese trade abuses using the rarely cited non-violation clause of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.