美加達成新貿易協定

After intense last-minute discussions ahead of a self-imposed midnight deadline, U.S. and Canadian officials announced late Sunday they reached a trade deal, allowing a Modified three-way pact with Mexico to replace the nearly quarter-century old North American Free Trade Agreement.

The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) — underpinning $1.2 trillion in annual trade — is expected to be signed in 60 days by President Donald Trump and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts.

Trump hailed the "wonderful new Trade Deal" on Monday and calling it a "great deal for all three countries" that "solves the many deficiencies and mistakes in NAFTA."

“USMCA will give our workers, farmers, ranchers and businesses a high-standard trade agreement that will result in freer markets, fairer trade and robust economic growth in our region,” said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland in a joint statement. “It will strengthen the middle class, and create good, well-paying jobs and new opportunities for the nearly half billion people who call North America home.”

The U.S. agreement with Ottawa will boost American access to Canada's dairy market — with some concessions on its heavily protected supply management system — while shielding the Canadians from possible U.S. auto tariffs.

Steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by Washington, will remain, however. Canada had demanded protection from Trump's tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

The metal tariffs discussions are on a “completely separate track,” according to a senior U.S. official.

However, NAFTA's Chapter 19 dispute resolution system will remain intact.

Leaving a Sunday night 75-minute Cabinet meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau only said it was “a good day for Canada.”

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in the United States declared itself “extremely encouraged” by initial details of the new three-way pact.

“As we review the agreement text, we will be looking to ensure that this deal opens markets, raises standards, provides enforcement and modernizes trade rules so that manufacturers across the United States can grow our economy,” said NAM President and Chief Executive Officer Jay Timmons.

“This administration is committed to strong and effective enforcement of this agreement,” a senior U.S. official told reporters. “This is not going to just be words on paper. This is real.”美國和加拿大官員在自行規定的週日午夜期限之前，經過最後一分鐘的緊張談判與週日晚間宣佈達成了一項貿易協議，使得與墨西哥達成一項修改後的三方協議取代了已有近四分之一世紀曆史的舊北美自由貿易協定。

美 - 墨 - 加協議（USMCA）支撐1.2萬億美元的年度貿易額， 預計特朗普總統及加拿大和墨西哥首腦在60天內簽署。

特朗普總統週一對“非常好的新貿易協議”表示歡迎，並稱其爲“解決北美自由貿易協定中許多缺陷和錯誤”的“三國之道”。

美國貿易代表萊特希澤和加拿大外交部長方慧蘭在一份聯合聲明中說，“美 - 墨 - 加協議將爲我們的工人、農民、牧場主和企業提供高標準的貿易協議，這將使我們地區有更自由的市場，更公平的貿易和強勁的經濟增長，” “它將強化中產階級，爲將北美召回家園的近5億人創造良好，高薪的工作和新機會。”

美國與渥太華的協議將促使美國進入加拿大乳製品市場，讓加拿大在其受到嚴密保護的供應管理系統上做出一些讓步，換取加拿大人免受可能的美國汽車關稅的影響。

然而，華盛頓實施的鋼鐵和鋁關稅仍然存在。加拿大之前要求不受特朗普總統進口鋼鐵和鋁的關稅的影響。

一位美國高級官員表示，有關金屬關稅的談判是“完全不同的”。

北美自由貿易協定中有關爭議解決機制的第19章將保持不變。

加拿大總理特魯多星期天晚上開完75分鐘的內閣會議後離開時，只是說這是“加拿大的好日子”。

全美製造商協會宣佈對新的三方協議的初步細節“深受鼓舞”。

該協會總裁兼首席執行官傑蒂蒙斯說，“當我們審查協議文本時，我們將尋求確保此協議能打開市場，提高標準，提供執法和現代化貿易規則，以便美國各地的製造商能夠發展自己的經濟，”他說，“特朗普政府致力於強有力地執行這項協議。”

一位美國高級官員告訴記者， “這不僅僅是紙上的文字，這是實打實的。”