The NAFTA - an agreement now called the USMCA - has finally been renegotiated after a roller coaster year plus of negotiations amongst the three countries. The fate of USMCA now rests in the hands of legislators in the three countries for final approval. Meanwhile, the escalating rhetoric between allies and trading partners, rising tariffs and a virtual trade war with China have sent shock waves through global supply chains in key industries, triggering legal challenges in the United States and at the World Trade Organization. Where do we go from here? What can business do to weather such turmoil?

Presenters: 3 distinguished North American customs and international trade lawyers: Louis Amato-Gauci, Miller Thomson LLP, Toronto, ON, Canada Evelyn Suarez, The Suarez Firm, Washington, D.C. Alejandro García Seimandi, García Seimandi, Flores & Villeda, Mexico City, Mexico

The speakers will discuss:

• Uncertainty clouding North American commerce
• Tariffs being imposed worldwide whether by the U.S. based on national security under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 or Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 for Chinese imports or retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries, including Canada and Mexico
• Impact of trade policies and customs enforcement on companies’ supply chains

And offer:

• Strategies for coping with uncertain trade policies
• Suggestions for minimizing tariffs and avoiding problems with customs administrations
• Contractual provisions that can mitigate impacts