US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says negotiations on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement are progressing quickly. That’s the good news. The less good news: only two of the three countries named in the agreement seem to be showing up with any urgency.
Greer has been leading bilateral discussions with Mexico since March 2026, working through a joint review process ahead of the agreement’s six-year review milestone on July 1, 2026. On that date, the US formally declined to renew the USMCA in its existing form, signaling that the current deal isn’t cutting it on trade deficits or supply chain security. The existing provisions remain in effect while both sides hash out improvements.
What’s actually on the table
The USMCA originally took effect in 2020, replacing NAFTA. Built into its structure was a mandatory six-year review, a checkpoint where all three parties decide whether to keep the agreement rolling or push for changes.
The key topics under discussion span a wide range: rules of origin for industrial goods, economic security provisions, labor standards, agriculture, environmental protections, and the steel and aluminum industries. Strengthening regional content requirements sits near the top of the priority list, alongside tackling non-tariff barriers like US dairy market access.
