As President Trump Threatens To Reject NAFTA Deal, MSCI Urges Its Members To Weigh In

On social media over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump said he would only accept a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) deal if Mexico first addressed border security. The threat isn’t new, but it comes after U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said last week that he was hopeful that U.S., Canadian, and Mexican negotiators were on track to resolve outstanding issues and have a deal on NAFTA renegotiation in the coming months.

As Connecting the Dots reported last month, the seventh round of discussions to modernize NAFTA, which concluded in March, yielded some advancements. Negotiators were able to finish work on three chapters of the agreement: good regulatory practices, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and publication and administration. Negotiators still have not completed work on 24 of the 30 chapters.

Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) members are encouraged to reach out to lawmakers to discuss NAFTA modernization and its impact on their businesses. The Canadian government has established a webpage for stakeholders to submit their views. Companies also may submit comments by email or by mail to: NAFTA Consultations, Global Affairs Canada, Trade Negotiations – North America (TNP), Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2.

MSCI members in the United States who are interested in weighing in on NAFTA deliberations should contact their representatives in the U.S. House and Senate to let them know how altering or eliminating NAFTA would affect their businesses, employees, and customers. Click here for contact information for every member of the House and here for senators. Click here to re-read MSCI’s own NAFTA negotiating priorities.

NAFTA negotiators will meet in Washington, D.C. this month.