Page 26 - Plastics News July 2017

FEATURES
FEATURES

ensure truly free and fair trade that supports higher-paying
jobs and economic growth in the United States.
“President Trump continues to fulfill his promise to renegotiate
NAFTA to get a much better deal for all Americans,” said
Ambassador Lighthizer. “Too many Americans have been
hurt by closed factories, exported jobs, and broken political
promises. Under President Trump’s leadership, USTR will
negotiate a fair deal. We will seek to address America’s
persistent trade imbalances, break down trade barriers,
and give Americans new opportunities to grow their exports.
President Trump is reclaiming American prosperity and making
our country great again.”
At the direction of the President, on May 18, 2017,
Ambassador Lighthizer sent a letter notifying Congress of
the Administration’s intent to initiate NAFTA renegotiations.
Since then, USTR has been conducting extensive consultations NAFTA talks, and said that trade with Mexico went from a
with Congress, stakeholders, and the public at large. $1.3 billion surplus when NAFTA was implemented in 1994 to
USTR sought public comments, received more than 12,000 a $64 billion deficit in 2016.
responses, and heard directly from over 140 witnesses "Too many Americans have been hurt by closed factories,
over three days of public hearings. During this process, exported jobs, and broken political promises," said U.S.
the Administration received valuable advice that directly Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, in a statement.
impacted the development of the negotiating objectives.
"Under President Trump's leadership, USTR will negotiate a
Further, these objectives reflect the negotiating standards fair deal. We will seek to address America's persistent trade
established by Congress in the Bipartisan Congressional imbalances, break down trade barriers, and give Americans
Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA), which new opportunities to grow their exports."
requires that USTR release objectives at least 30 days prior Manufacturing and business groups in the U.S. had a muted
to formal negotiations. Negotiations will begin no earlier reaction. The National Association of Manufacturers said it
than August 16, 2017.
wanted a modernized NAFTA to "level the playing field." But
Through these negotiations, the Administration seeks an it also noted that Canada and Mexico purchase one-fifth of all
effectively implemented and enforced Agreement for more manufactured goods made in the United States, supporting
open, equitable, secure, and reciprocal market access. 2 million jobs in U.S. factories.
The Administration remains committed to conducting the Plastics and chemicals trade associations have generally
negotiations with timely and substantive results for America’s urged the Trump administration to be cautious. They have
workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses.
noted that the plastics and chemicals industries have a trade
Though the Trump administration's July 17 release of its plan surplus with Mexico and Canada and urged the administration
to modernize NAFTA takes aim at the U.S. trade deficit with to "do no harm" to tightly-knit cross border trade.
Mexico and promises updates in areas like digital commerce The U.S. Chamber of Commerce seemed to suggest that
and labor and environmental provisions. But it stopped short point was recognized in the administration's 18-page list
of some of President Trump's more dramatic calls in the past of negotiating points: "We commend the administration's
to scrap the deal.
recognition that we must do no harm to the American jobs,
The administration said it's the first time the U.S. government businesses, and industries that depend on trade with Canada
has listed trade deficit reduction as a specific objective in and Mexico."

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