Ottawa | Reuters — The top U.S. negotiator at talks to modernize the NAFTA trade pact on Monday dismissed questions about why his team had so far failed to produce specific proposals on key issues, saying “I don’t see a problem.” Officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada are in Ottawa for the third of […] Read more
Top U.S. NAFTA negotiator sees no problem with pace of talks
Mexico, Canada dismiss Trump threats to scrap NAFTA
Mexico City/Ottawa | Reuters — Mexico and Canada on Wednesday dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to scrap NAFTA, describing it as a negotiating tactic designed to gain an advantage during talks to update one of the world’s biggest trading blocs. In comments that initially pushed Mexico’s peso currency down by more than one per […] Read more
NAFTA negotiators hone in on origin rules, dispute settlement
Washington | Reuters — U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators on Friday began digging into some of the thorniest issues in modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement, including rules of origin for goods produced in the region, services trade and a controversial dispute settlement system. A copy of the NAFTA negotiating agenda obtained by Reuters […] Read more
U.S. takes tough lines as NAFTA negotiations begin
Washington | Reuters — The United States drew a hard line for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement on Wednesday, demanding major concessions aimed at slashing U.S. trade deficits with Mexico and Canada and boosting U.S. content for autos. At the start of talks in Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump’s top trade adviser, Robert […] Read more
Canada suggests it could quit NAFTA talks over dispute mechanism
Ottawa | Reuters –– Canada laid down a tough line ahead of talks on modernizing NAFTA on Monday, suggesting it could walk away if the U.S. pushed to remove a key dispute-settlement mechanism in the trade deal. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, giving the most substantive outline yet of Canada’s goals, said she was “very optimistic” […] Read more
Canada, Mexico urge quick NAFTA talks to end uncertainty
Washington/Ottawa | Reuters — Top Canadian and Mexican diplomats expressed optimism on Thursday that a NAFTA deal could be reached early next year and cautioned that widespread uncertainty over the future of the three-way trade agreement had slowed business investment. Mexican sources say the plan is to hold seven rounds of talks at three-week intervals, […] Read more
NAFTA dispute resolution mechanism critical, Canada says
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada believes it is critical for NAFTA to have a dispute resolution mechanism, a senior official said on Tuesday, setting up a potential clash with Washington when talks to renegotiate the pact begin. The U.S. on Monday released its goals for the talks, which aim to update an agreement that came […] Read more
U.S. dairy lobby increases pressure on Canada
Ottawa/Winnipeg | Reuters — The U.S. dairy lobby is ratcheting up the pressure on Canada as talks to renegotiate NAFTA draw closer, demanding concessions the Canadian government looks unwilling to grant, according to people familiar with the file. The result could be a brawl that sours efforts to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement, […] Read more
Deal reached to avert CN strike, union head says
Montreal/Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian National Railway and a union representing 3,000 conductors on Monday reached an agreement in principle ahead of a looming strike deadline at Canada’s largest railroad, said a top union official. The union had set a strike deadline of Tuesday at 4 a.m. ET after the railroad announced new work rules […] Read more
Canada taps veteran negotiator to drive talks on NAFTA
Ottawa | Reuters –– Canada’s senior negotiator at talks to renew NAFTA will be the official who worked for years to push through a major free trade deal with Europe, two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Steve Verheul faces another challenge as he deals with the U.S., which is threatening to walk […] Read more
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