The North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) entered into force on January 1, 1994.  NAFTA is 24 years old. Will NAFTA make it to its 25th birthday?  President Trump is threatening to trigger Article 2205 of NAFTA, which provides that:

“A Party may withdraw from this Agreement six months after it provides written notice of

It is that time of year again – time to obtain or prepare new Certificates of Origin. A Certificate of Origin may apply to either a single importation of goods or to multiple importations of identical goods exported to a free trade partner within a 12-month period, (called a “blanket certificate”).  Blanket Certificates of Origin

Canada

On September 30, 2017, Global Affairs Canada commenced a consultation process with Canadians about on entering into a TransPacific Partnership Agreement with the remaining 11 counties (“TPP-1”).  An announcement was published in the Canada Gazette, Part 1, Volume 151, No. 39 (September 30, 2017) concerning the consultations.  On page 3759, Global Affairs published a

Canada

Canadian businesses are used to the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) customs procedures for verifying certificates of origin that effectively state that exported goods are “made in Canada”. The NAFTA origin verification procedures have been adopted in most other Canadian free trade agreements.

Under NAFTA, United States Customs and Border Protection (“US CBP”)

U.S.A.

Let’s set out the target date of importance: Round 3 of the NAFTA Modernization/Renegotiation meetings will take place in Ottawa, Canada between September 23-27, 2017. Round 1 took place in Washington D.C. between August 16-20, 2017 and Round 2 will take place in Mexico City between September 1-5 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Under

Canada

Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (“GATT 1994”) (and the Understanding on the Interpretation of GATT Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994) may prevent some of the U.S. demands made at the start of the NAFTA modernization/renegotiation talks this week.  Article XXIV of

On August 14, 2017, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Chrystia Freeland delivered Canada’s list of NAFTA Modernization (note, not “renegotiation”) “core objectives”.  Minister Freeland stresses that Canada’s mission is a modern and progressive free trade agreement.  She stressed that “Trade is about people” and jobs in Canada and Canada’s NAFTA partners.  Canada’s approach will be to

Let’s face an incontrovertible fact – in the last 10 years, there are have been very few NAFTA Chapter 19 Bi-national Panels convened in respect of Canada-US & US-Canada trade remedies.  Yes, there have been a few softwood lumber cases (prior to the last 10 years by the way). But, the reality is that, in

It looks like the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (“CITT”) has not yet been selected by the Federal Government of Canada or any province or territory as the reviewing authority under Chapter Five of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (Canada’s new and improved internal trade agreement).  The Canadian Free Trade Agreement quietly entered into effect on

On April 6, 2017, Seth Godin posted “On Pie” on his blog.  I have thought about what Seth Godin wrote in “On Pie” many times when Canada, US or Canada-US trade issues arise, such as the Softwood Lumber AD/CVD Dispute, the 232 Steel Case, the 232 Aluminum Case, the Canadian FISC AD/CVD Case, NAFTA renegotiation,