Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) – Preamble

The Government of the United States of America, the Government of the United Mexican States, and the Government of Canada (collectively “the Parties”), resolving to:

STRENGTHEN ANEW the longstanding friendship between them and their peoples, and the strong economic cooperation that has developed through trade and investment;

FURTHER strengthen their close economic relationship;

REPLACE the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement with a 21st Century, high standard new agreement to support mutually beneficial trade leading to freer, fairer markets, and to robust economic growth in the region;

PRESERVE AND EXPAND regional trade and production by further incentivizing the production and sourcing of goods and materials in the region;

ENHANCE AND PROMOTE the competitiveness of regional exports and firms in global markets, and conditions of fair competition in the region;  

RECOGNIZE that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including micro-sized enterprises, contribute significantly to economic growth, employment, community development, youth engagement and innovation, and seek to support their growth and development by enhancing their ability to participate in and benefit from the opportunities created by this Agreement;

ESTABLISH a clear, transparent, and predictable legal and commercial framework for business planning, that supports further expansion of trade and investment;

FACILITATE trade between the Parties by promoting efficient and transparent customs procedures that reduce costs and ensure predictability for importers and exporters, and encourage expanding cooperation in the area of trade facilitation and enforcement;

RECOGNIZE their inherent right to regulate and resolve to preserve the flexibility of the Parties to set legislative and regulatory priorities, and protect legitimate public welfare objectives, such as health, safety, environmental protection, conservation of living or non-living exhaustible natural resources, integrity and stability of the financial system, and public morals, in accordance with the rights and obligations provided in this Agreement;

FACILITATE trade in goods and services between the Parties by preventing, identifying, and eliminating unnecessary technical barriers to trade, enhancing transparency, and promoting good regulatory practices;

PROTECT human, animal, or plant life or health in the territories of the Parties and advance science-based decision making while facilitating trade between them;

ELIMINATE obstacles to international trade which are more trade-restrictive than necessary;

PROMOTE high levels of environmental protection, including through effective enforcement by each Party of its environmental laws, as well as through enhanced environmental cooperation, and further the aims of sustainable development, including through mutually supportive trade and environmental policies and practices;

PROMOTE the protection and enforcement of labor rights, the improvement of working conditions, the strengthening of cooperation and the Parties’ capacity on labor issues;

RECOGNIZE that the implementation of government-wide practices to promote regulatory quality through greater transparency, objective analysis, accountability, and predictability can facilitate international trade, investment, and economic growth, while contributing to each Party’s ability to achieve its public policy objectives;

PROMOTE transparency, good governance and the rule of law, and eliminate bribery and corruption in trade and investment;

RECOGNIZE the importance of increased engagement by indigenous peoples in trade and investment;

SEEK to facilitate women’s and men’s equal access to and ability to benefit from the opportunities created by this Agreement and to support the conditions for women’s full participation in domestic, regional, and international trade and investment;

RECOGNIZE the important work that their relevant authorities are doing to strengthen macroeconomic cooperation; and

ESTABLISH an Agreement to address future trade and investment challenges and opportunities, and contribute to advancing their respective priorities over time,

HAVE AGREED as follows: