Canada, Mexico, and the United States of America have signed off on the final details of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The overall revamping of the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement was accomplished at the end of September, 2018, and negotiators have been on the file ever since to move the agreement closer to ratification.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister turned Deputy Prime Minister, Chrystia Freeland was on hand in Mexico City today to put the pen to the paper. Prior to signing the agreement she said it was a long road to get where they are today, and, through tough negotiations, they made it to the finish line.
“Today, Canada, the United States, and Mexico have agreed to improvements of the new NAFTA that strengthen state-to-state dispute settlement, labour protection, environmental protection, intellectual property, the automotive rules of origin, and will help to keep the most advanced medicines affordable for Canadians,” Freeland said during her remarks.
“These amendments will ensure that rules based trade between our three countries will cont to support economic prosperity of all of our people and the global competitiveness of North American as a region.”
The changes that were made to the original agreement have yet to be released.
The agreement will now move towards ratification.
Related
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