In North America there are “challenges” regarding the performance of state-owned companies (EPEs) within the framework of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), but “progress continues”, affirmed the Undersecretaries of Commerce Exterior of those three nations.
This position is included in the Joint Declaration between Mexico, the United States and Canada after the First Meeting of Undersecretaries of the T-MEC in virtual format made from Mexico City this Thursday.
Officials highlighted negotiations on the disciplines of state-owned companies at the sub-federal level.
Likewise, they highlighted that the T-MEC includes robust provisions with high standards designed to address the commercial distortions caused by the activities of said companies not based on market rules.
“Mexico, the United States and Canada agreed to continue advancing in the implementation of the T-MEC and highlighted that, although challenges have been presented, progress continues under the Treaty,” they added in the Joint Declaration.
The Undersecretary of Foreign Trade of Mexico, Luz Maria de la Mora, the deputy trade representative of the United States, Jayme White, and Canada’s Deputy Minister of International Trade, David MorrisonThey issued the Declaration.
At the end of the 1st Meeting of Undersecretaries #TMECI am very grateful to our technical teams for the work done.
To Jayme White and David Morrison my thanks for a positive and purposeful dialogue in favor of North America.
Thank you!
Thank you very much!
– Luz María de la Mora (@luzmadelamora)
January 13, 2022
Earlier, the United States asked Mexico for “fair competition” in the energy sector within the framework of the T-MEC, during a virtual meeting that White held this Wednesday with De la Mora.
“White emphasized the importance of additional priority areas, including effective fisheries management and marine species conservation; energy policies that promote fair competition and renewable energy production to combat climate change,” the United States Trade Representative (USTR) said in a press release on Wednesday.
In general, this Thursday’s meeting gave the Undersecretaries the opportunity to review the progress in the implementation of the Agreement since the inaugural meeting of the USMCA Free Trade Commission (CLC) chaired by the ministers in May 2021.
Despite the challenges and difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic, committees formed on key issues have continued to meet in person and virtually, including the Committees on Agricultural Trade (comprising the Working Group for Cooperation in Agricultural Biotechnology), Competitiveness, Trade Facilitation, Small and Medium Enterprises, Temporary Entry, Business Ownership of the State (EPEs), Environment, the Labor Council and the Consultative Committee of Private Commercial Controversies.
Mexico, the United States and Canada also held substantial discussions on four broad topics: labor, environment, inclusive trade (including SMEs and competitiveness) and SOEs.
The Undersecretaries recognized and welcomed the opportunity for the Treaty to make the three countries leaders in the global fight against forced labor and in creating a truly fair and free trading system.
Throughout the discussion, Mexico, the United States, and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to collaborate on this critical issue and to fully implement their shared obligations to prohibit the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
The Parties agreed to report concrete and measurable results of the implementation of this central obligation, in the FCC of 2022.
Likewise, the parties discussed potential actions to advance trade and environmental issues in the region, including cooperation in the implementation of environmental legislation, and agreed to convene a meeting of the Environment Committee and a public session in 2022.
In turn, the SME Committee presented its report and described the activities planned for 2022 to support these companies.
These activities include training and exchange of good practices, among others. The undersecretaries indicated that the PyME Dialogue will meet in February in San Antonio, Texas, with a group of people interested in knowing the different points of view on the implementation of the Treaty.
After the event on labor force organized by the Institute George W. Bush, on December 13, 2021 in Dallas, Texas, the deputy secretaries agreed to maintain the committee’s focus on regional workforce development, with the goal of increasing the region’s competitiveness.
They also discussed strategies for maintaining the resilience of North American supply chains in emergency situations.
roberto.morales@eleconomista.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx