The renegotiation of NAFTA has seen "incredible" progress: Trump adviser

The United States makes "absolutely incredible" progress in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations and an agreement could be reached in the fall, the president said. from the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Kevin Hassett.

"I think we'll see something for the fall," Hassett said in an interview for Fox News.

While warning that he was not a "negotiator" involved in negotiations between the United States, Mexico and Canada, Hasset said his colleagues who renegotiated the agreement indicated that things were going well.

"It's absolutely amazing the progress that they make," he said.

I am not a negotiator involved in the negotiations … (but) my colleagues say things are going well

Hassett's comment echoed the US Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, who said that July 26 before the Congress that it is possible that the partners of NAFTA reach an agreement in principle in August to renew the pact.

President Donald Trump also recently said that the United States is making good progress in its talks with Mexico, but said his administration could first seek a bilateral agreement with Mexico before negotiating separately with Canada. A dozen chapters, close to close

A dozen chapters, including textiles and energy, could be closed in the coming days to advance the renegotiation of NAFTA, informed Juan Pablo Castañón, chairman of the Business Coordination Council (CEC) and part of the "whole quarter", group of private initiative that accompanies the government in the process.

"Textiles, which has been a difficult chapter, the energy that gives us great potential in the region if we make a synergy between the three countries; environment, customs and trade facilitation; non-conforming measures; financial services and cross-border trade, digital commerce and sectoral cosmetic annex.These chapters are almost completed and there would be 8 or 10 additional chapters and the issue of labor, intellectual property, which are still subject to the bargaining table and for us it is important to deepen it, "said the company chief.

In a phone call with the Washington media, Mr. Castañón was confident because he had identified a clear interest from the United States in advancing the NAFTA negotiations and reaching a settlement agreement. principle.

"In the environment of what we are living, we still think that in August we would use this window of opportunity and there is the will to do it," said L & # 39; business man.

Secretary of the Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo, explained in Washington that the negotiating teams have agreed to start with the least complicated issues to move to the more complex ones and he hopes that Canada will participate in the bilateral meetings and trilateral with the United States. .

On Thursday, talks resumed in Washington to update the trade pact with ministerial meetings between the United States and Mexico, having stalled since May, due to some controversial US claims pending Mexican presidential elections .

They seek a formula for the rules of origin

On the question of the rules of origin, negotiations progress with a formula that can be feasible, that does not harm to Mexican jobs or new investments Mexican market, "but it has still not materialized," acknowledged the president of the CCE.

They are on the table with "red stripe", in which Mexico will not give up, the chapter of seasonality, the clause sunset and chapter 20 on the resolution of governmental controversies. In Chapter 11 on Investment Security, American businessmen are the ones who push for it to be maintained, he explained.

Elimination of sanctions

In the event that the trilateral agreement may be given, the penalties of the tariffs would disappear, as much in regard to automotive steel with the elimination from the study that does in the 232, and the steel and aluminum tariffs. At the same time, Mexico would eliminate the response sanctions that were given, Castañón said.

Today, there are price implications in the United States and the White House in the United States is aware that if an agreement is reached, those sanctions would be eliminated.