On Friday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer notified Congress that Canada and Mexico have completed their domestic procedures to implement the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will enter into force on July 1, 2020.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.), welcomed the notification, stating: “In the midst of this pandemic, North America is struggling to continue the production, supply, and distribution of critical goods. At the same time, we are striving to protect the health, safety, and other fundamental rights of our workers. Worker protections and tools to respond to any instances of abuse have always been important, and the existence of mechanisms to hold countries and facilities accountable are particularly crucial now, given the pressures and dangers COVID-19 presents. I am proud to say that the USMCA provides these enforcement tools.”

Click here to read U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer’s congressional notification.