The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office says no deadline has been set to finalize North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations that can’t begin until mid-August. Officials from Mexico have suggested that Mexico and USTR Robert Lighthizer have agreed on a December 15th deadline to wrap up the negotiations. However, the USTR office told Politico this week no date has been set but added: “the sooner we can conclude negotiations, the sooner we can address the concerns of the president and the American people with NAFTA.” By U.S. law, negotiations can begin 90 days after the USTR notifies Congress, which Lightizer and the Donald Trump administration did May 18th. Mexico is eager to wrap up the negations quickly as the nation is facing an upcoming presidential election next year, and because of that, officials in Mexico say they cannot continue talks in 2018.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.