Conference # Renegotiating NAFTA: Prospects and Challenges ##### Watch the Event Download: [ Video ](https://fastly-unsigned-us-east-1-prod.brightcovecdn.com/media/v1/pmp4/static/clear/6039378657001/8e49cebd-c812-4c53-bf50-79c231e0a76a/42703215-2b2d-4014-a886-d72f6f2b5012/main.mp4) [ Video ](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-06.mp4) [ Audio ](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-06.mp3) Date and Time October 26, 2017 9 AM - 5:15 PM EDT Location Hayek Auditorium, Cato Institute Share This Event ##### Featuring [![Simon Lester](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Simon%20Lester.jpg?itok=noQ9immh)](/people/simon-lester) [Simon Lester](/people/simon-lester) Cofounder, World​TradeLaw​.net, and Former Legal Affairs Officer, Appellate Body Secretariat, World Trade Organization John Weekes Rufus Yerxa Marta Bengoa Steve Charnovitz [![Dan_Griswold_cropped.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2022-02/Dan_Griswold_cropped.jpg?itok=mEktjV9Y)](/people/daniel-griswold) [Daniel Griswold](/people/daniel-griswold) Adjunct Scholar [ ](https://twitter.com/danielgriswold) Alvaro Santos Todd Tucker Christopher Wilson [![Daniel J. Ikenson](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Dan%20Ikenson.jpg?itok=mP30bIXr)](/people/daniel-j-ikenson) [Daniel J. Ikenson](/people/daniel-j-ikenson) Former Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies Ted Alden Phil Levy Ricardo Ramirez ![William Alan Reinsch](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2024-11/William%20Alan%20Reinsch%20circle.jpeg?itok=RmJUJ2dB) William Alan Reinsch Senior Adviser, Economics Program and Scholl Chair in International Business, Center for Strategic and International Studies [![Scott Lincicome cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2023-10/scott-lincicome-square.jpg?itok=qnTH2GB_)](/people/scott-lincicome) [Scott Lincicome](/people/scott-lincicome) Vice President, General Economics and Stiefel Trade Policy Center, Cato Institute [ ](https://x.com/scottlincicome) [ ](mailto:slincicome@cato.org) Christine Bliss Amgad Shehata ![d-weller.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-06/d-weller.jpg?itok=oK90aJWi) David Weller Director of Economic and Trade Policy, Google [![Inu Manak](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Inu%20Manuk.jpg?itok=8bgu-vN2)](/people/inu-manak) [Inu Manak](/people/inu-manak) Fellow for Trade Policy, Council on Foreign Relations [ ](https://twitter.com/inumanak) Ed Farrell Christopher Sands [![Colin Grabow](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Colin%20Grabow.jpg?itok=pNkGPWw4)](/people/colin-grabow) [Colin Grabow](/people/colin-grabow) Associate Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies [ ](https://x.com/cpgrabow) ![j-Hillman.jpg](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-10/j-Hillman.jpg?itok=8yy5z7lI) Jennifer Hillman Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations John Magnus Mike Smart [![James Bacchus - cropped](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2025-04/jim_baccuhus-cropped.jpg?itok=sQTKwZ3_)](/people/james-bacchus) [James Bacchus](/people/james-bacchus) Adjunct Scholar, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute; Former Chairman, Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is currently being renegotiated by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump promised to get a better deal, or walk away entirely from NAFTA if necessary. Amidst the air of uncertainty surrounding the talks, a productive discussion surrounding the prospects and challenges to modernizing NAFTA has emerged. Though NAFTA was a cutting–edge trade deal in 1994, international trade has transformed significantly since then, most notably with the advent of the digital economy. This full–day conference explores both the politics and reality of the NAFTA negotiations, and puts forward ideas for what a modern NAFTA could look like. | **8:30 – 9:00AM** | **REGISTRATION** | |---|:--| | **9:00 – 9:15AM** | **WELCOMING REMARKS**[**Simon Lester**](https://www.cato.org/people/simon-lester), Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute | | **9:15 – 10:15AM** | **SESSION I: NAFTA’S ORIGIN & PURPOSE****John Weekes**, Bennett Jones **Rufus Yerxa**, National Foreign Trade Council **Ricardo Ramirez**, Appellate Body Member, World Trade Organization **Moderator: Jim Bacchus**, Former Chairman of the WTO Appellate Body [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/ccc-10-26-17-01.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-01.mp3) | | **10:15 – 10:35AM** | **BREAK** | | **10:35 – 12:00PM** | **SESSION II: THE DEBATE OVER NAFTA****Marta Bengoa**, City College of New York **Steve Charnovitz**, George Washington University Law School **Dan Griswold**, Mercatus Center **Alvaro Santos**, Georgetown University Law Center **Todd Tucker**, Roosevelt Institute **Christopher Wilson**, Wilson Center **Moderator: [Dan Ikenson](https://www.cato.org/people/daniel-ikenson)**, Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-02.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-02.mp3) | | **12:00 – 1:00PM** | **LUNCHEON** | | **1:15 – 2:30PM** | **SESSION III: POLITICS & REALITY****Phil Levy**, Chicago Council on Foreign Affairs **Ricardo Ramirez**, Appellate Body Member, World Trade Organization **Bill Reinsch**, Stimson Center **Moderator: [Scott Lincicome](https://www.cato.org/people/scott-lincicome)**, Adjunct Scholar, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-03.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-03.mp3) | | **2:30 – 3:45PM** | **SESSION IV: HOW TO MODERNIZE NAFTA** **Christine Bliss**, Coalition of Service Industries **Amgad Shehata**, UPS **David Weller**, Google **Moderator: [Inu Manak](https://www.cato.org/people/inu-manak)**, Visiting Scholar, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-04.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-04.mp3) | | **3:45 – 4:05PM** | **BREAK** | | **4:05 – 5:15PM** | **SESSION V: BREAKOUT SESSIONS****In the Shadow of NAFTA: Dairy, Lumber, and Bombardier** **Ed Farrell**, OFW Law **[Dan Ikenson](https://www.cato.org/people/daniel-ikenson)**, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute **Chris Sands**, Johns Hopkins, School of Advanced International Studies **Moderator: [Colin Grabow](https://www.cato.org/people/colin-grabow)**, Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-05.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-05.mp3) **Dispute Settlement** **Jennifer Hillman**, Georgetown University Law Center **John Magnus**, TradeWins **Mike Smart**, Rock Creek Advisors **Moderator: [Simon Lester](https://www.cato.org/people/simon-lester)**, Trade Policy Analyst, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute [Download video of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cc-10-26-17-06.mp4) [Download podcast of the panel](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2017/cca-10-26-17-06.mp3) | | **5:15 – 6:15PM** | **RECEPTION** | [![Creative Commons License](/build/cato_2020/images/creative-commons.svg)](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) This work is licensed under a [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/).