American milk producers do not have sufficient access to the Canadian market despite the provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement, deplored the American Trade Representative on Wednesday, who promised to do everything to defend their interests.
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“This is a long-standing dispute” between the United States and Canada, said Katherine Tai during a hearing before the House of Representatives. “I think there was a clear understanding on our side that access to the dairy market would be improved under USMCA and we didn’t see that,” she said.
“We will not abandon” the goal of enforcing the provisions of the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) and “we will continue to work” with farmers and lawmakers, added the ambassador.
Torn off after bitter discussions between Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City, the AEUMC free trade treaty came into force in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
On July 1, 2020, at the request of former US President Donald Trump, this treaty replaced NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement that had been in effect since 1994.
“I absolutely respect the aspirations of our dairy farmers and look forward to working with you, including on a strategy for what the next step is,” said Katherine Tai, who negotiated the social aspects of the new deal. .
Washington has already used treaty provisions to denounce Canadian milk quotas. And the administration won its case when, in early January, the special settlement panel found that these quotas were contrary to the provisions of the USMCA.
However, trade restrictions do not seem to have been lifted on the Canadian side.
Asked about the other big dispute with Ottawa relating to softwood lumber, Katherine Tai acknowledged that disruptions in the supply chain are now contributing to the difficulties encountered by American companies in the sector.
She did, however, assure that her administration was ensuring “that U.S. softwood lumber producers are able to compete on a level playing field against the adverse effects of unfairly subsidized and dumped Canadian imports.” “.
She also stressed that the United States was “willing” to resolve this dispute. “But that requires both of us to be at the table with the will to work through the difficulties,” she continued. “It takes two to tango,” she concluded.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com