The United States‐​Mexico‐​Canada Agreement (USMCA) is due to go into force on July 1, 2020, but much work remains to prepare for the transition from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules. In all likelihood, both agreements will operate in parallel until important details are ironed out. Most pressing among these are new rules for automobile manufacturing in North America, where the requirements have become more stringent. Mexico will also have to deal with a potential surge of labor disputes as the new labor chapter goes into effect. Compounding all of this is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted supply chains and weakened trading relationships around the world. Can the USMCA be successfully implemented this year, and can North America move forward from the pandemic stronger than before?

Join our conversation to find out.