NEMA Welcomes Progress on NAFTA Modernization

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) said it welcomes progress in trade negotiations to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and urged the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to pursue consensus among the three nations on a “state-of-the-art platform for North American electroindustry manufacturing and trade.”

“The electrical and medical imaging industries are inextricably linked with Canada and Mexico in such a way that allows the United States to compete successfully against low-cost competitors elsewhere, including China and Asia more broadly. They are valued trading partners and essential cogs in NEMA member companies’ North American supply chains,” NEMA President and CEO Kevin Cosgriff said in a release. “We urge the ongoing negotiations to conclude successfully and produce a genuine and modernized successor to NAFTA.”

On August 31, President Trump notified Congress of his intent to enter into a new trade agreement with Mexico and with Canada, “if it is willing, in a timely manner, to meet the high standards for free, fair, and reciprocal trade contained therein.” USTR Robert Lighthizer described the preliminary agreement with Mexico, on which Canada continues to negotiate, as “the most advanced and high-standard trade agreement in the world” with “huge benefits for our workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses.”