OTTAWA, ON—The top U.S., Canadian and Mexican officials driving NAFTA renegotiations will meet in Washington today, as pressure for a quick deal is mounting.
Although the United States is eager to quickly wrap up negotiations to update the $1.2 trillion North American Free Trade Agreement, officials say several contentious issues must still be resolved. Among those issues are U.S. proposals to revise content rules for the automotive sector and to change dispute resolution mechanisms.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wants some kind of agreement in place before campaigning for a July 1 presidential election in Mexico gathers pace.
President Donald Trump, who blames NAFTA for job losses in the American manufacturing sector, has threatened to walk away from the pact unless major changes are made.