USMCA Entry Into Force Likely Delayed Until July 1 At The Earliest

As Politico reported on April 1, officials in the U.S., Mexico and Canada failed to meet a March 31 deadline that was necessary for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to take effect by June 1, 2020. Alex Lawrence, spokesperson for Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, said, “Canada is working with the US and Mexico on uniform, trilateral regulations which are required before the agreement can enter into force for all three countries. We can stay in touch about a precise date for entry into force.”

On April 2, Canada notified the United States and Mexico that Canada has completed its domestic ratification process for USMCA, and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said in a press release that the “Canadian government will continue to work with the United States and Mexican governments to determine an ‘entry into force’ date that is mutually beneficial.”

On March 30, a bipartisan group of 19 senators urged the Trump administration to delay the planned June 1 entry into force date, saying that “USMCA should not enter into force prematurely – particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic – and thereby deny American farmers, workers, and businesses its intended benefits.” As a result, the USMCA will not take effect until at least July 1, 2020.