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The United States, Canada, and Mexico have a trilateral trade deal called the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which went into force on January 1st, 1994. The deal also reduced many non-tariff trade barriers, such as quotas and licensing requirements, and the majority of tariffs on goods exchanged between the three nations.
NAFTA was created to enhance North America's trading bloc's competitiveness and integration while also fostering regional economic expansion. The agreement includes clauses for defending intellectual property rights and resolving disputes between member nations. It covers a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, services, and agriculture.
NAFTA has generated a great deal of discussion and controversy over the years, with some detractors alleging that it has resulted in the outsourcing of employment and the deterioration of labor and environmental standards. NAFTA proponents counter that the pact has increased trade and investment flows throughout North America and contributed to economic growth and job creation in all three of the participating nations.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which was renegotiated in 2018 and replaced NAFTA, has new provisions for digital trade, intellectual property protection, and labor and environmental standards. While also resolving some of the issues cited by detractors of the original agreement, the USMCA expands on the NAFTA's basic structure.
