Three former negotiators of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States, and Canada (USMCA) have announced the formation of the North America Trade Coalition (NTC) aimed at ensuring the extension of the agreement during the scheduled joint review in July 2026. Tariff uncertainty and protectionist narratives, especially by the outgoing administration in the United States, have prompted the creation of this group.
The leaders of the NTC are Kenneth Smith, former chief technical negotiator for Mexico for the USMCA and partner at AGON; Kevin Brady, former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee; and Steve Verheul, former chief negotiator for Canada for the USMCA. Since the treaty came into force in July 2020, the Coalition estimates that it has generated significant economic benefits for the three countries involved.
According to the Coalition, the USMCA has facilitated annual trilateral trade of $1.6 trillion, 9 million new jobs, and $219 billion in investments that have strengthened supply chains in the region. The initiative to form the NTC comes from three firms located in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, whose partners are the same leaders of the coalition: Smith, Brady, and Verheul.
Smith emphasizes the importance of countering protectionist narratives and promoting the benefits of free trade in North America. In this regard, the NTC seeks to bring together various actors, such as businesses, associations, and academic institutions, to promote the importance of maintaining the treaty and strengthening economic integration in the region.
During the launch of the NTC, Brady highlighted the influence of the USMCA on global trade and the need to renew it to allow for long-term strategic investments. For his part, Verheul warned about the negative consequences that would arise from a lack of renewal of the treaty in 2026. The possibility of tariff imposition by the United States concerns the Coalition, which believes that such measures could severely damage the functioning of the USMCA.
