Request for Public Comments and Notice of Public Hearing Relating to the Operation of the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada

Issuing agencies

Abstract

USTR is commencing a public consultation process in advance of the 2027 annual joint review meeting of the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA or Agreement). As directed by Congress, USTR is seeking public comments on the operation of the Agreement and providing notice of a public hearing.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 191 (Monday, October 5, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 191 (Monday, October 5, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63379-63380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20341]


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OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

[Docket Nos. USTR-2026-0595 and USTR-2026-0596]


Request for Public Comments and Notice of Public Hearing Relating 
to the Operation of the Agreement Between the United States of America, 
the United Mexican States, and Canada

AGENCY: Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

ACTION: Request for comments and notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: USTR is commencing a public consultation process in advance of 
the 2027 annual joint review meeting of the Agreement between the 
United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA 
or Agreement). As directed by Congress, USTR is seeking public comments 
on the operation of the Agreement and providing notice of a public 
hearing.

DATES: 
    January 12, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. EST: Deadline for submitting 
written comments and requests to appear at the hearing. The request to 
appear must include a summary of testimony.
    2027 Public Hearing: Details regarding the date and location of the 
public hearing will be published to USTR's website (<a href="http://www.ustr.gov">www.ustr.gov</a>). 
Please visit USTR's website for any updates to the hearing schedule.
    Seven calendar days after the last day of the public hearing, at 
11:59 p.m. EST: Deadline for submission of post-hearing rebuttal 
comments.

ADDRESSES: Submit documents in response to this notice, including 
written comments, hearing appearance requests, and summaries of 
testimony through the online USTR portal: <a href="https://comments.ustr.gov/s/">https://comments.ustr.gov/s/</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randall Oliver, Director for Canada, 
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ebb98a858f8a8787c5bfc5a487829d8e99ab9e989f99c58e849bc58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fcdfef1fbfef3f3b1cbb1d0f3f6e9faeddfeaecebedb1faf0efb1f8f0e9">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or 202.395.9449, or Braeden Young, 
Director for Mexico, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#430131222627262d6d136d1a2c362d2403363037316d262c336d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="83c1f1e2e6e7e6edadd3addaecf6ede4c3f6f0f7f1ade6ecf3ade4ecf5">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or 202.395.9620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The USMCA entered into force on July 1, 2020, between the United 
States, Mexico, and Canada (collectively, the Parties).\1\ Article 
34.7.1 of the USMCA provides that the Agreement must terminate 16 years 
after the date of entry into force--i.e., July 1, 2036--unless each 
Party confirms that it wishes to continue the Agreement for a new 16-
year term. Pursuant to Article 34.7.2 of the USMCA, the Free Trade 
Commission (Commission), composed of the three Parties, convened on 
July 1, 2026, to conduct the first joint review of the operation of the 
Agreement. At that meeting, the United States did not agree to extend 
the Agreement for a new 16-year term. As such, pursuant to Articles 
34.7.4-6 of the USMCA, the Commission will meet to conduct a joint 
review annually until each of the three Parties confirms its wish to 
extend the term of this Agreement for another 16-year period or the 
term of the Agreement expires, whichever is earlier.
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    \1\ The full text of the UMSCA is available at <a href="https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement/agreement-between">https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/united-states-mexico-canada-agreement/agreement-between</a>.
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    In accordance with Section 611 of the United States-Mexico-Canada 
Agreement Implementation Act (19 U.S.C. 4611), USTR is publishing this 
notice regarding the joint review to provide an opportunity for the 
presentation of views relating to the operation of the USMCA. USTR 
invites interested persons to submit written comments (Part II) or oral 
testimony (Part III) on matters relevant to the joint review.

II. Request for Public Comments

    Interested persons must submit written comments using the docket 
titled ``Request for Comments on the Operation of the Agreement between 
the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada,'' 
docket number USTR-2026-0595, using the electronic portal at <a href="https://comments.ustr.gov/s/">https://comments.ustr.gov/s/</a> and following the instructions in Part IV below. 
To be assured of consideration, USTR must receive written comments by 
11:59 p.m. EST on January 12, 2027. Additional instructions on how to 
submit written comments are provided below in Part IV.
    In particular, this notice invites comments regarding:
    <bullet> Any aspect of the operation or implementation of the 
USMCA;
    <bullet> Any issues of compliance with the USMCA;
    <bullet> Recommendations for specific actions that USTR should 
propose ahead of the joint review;
    <bullet> Factors affecting the investment climate in North America 
and in the territories of each Party, as well as the effectiveness of 
the USMCA in promoting investment that strengthens U.S. 
competitiveness, productivity, and technological leadership; and
    <bullet> Strategies for strengthening North American economic 
security and competitiveness and cooperation on

[[Page 63380]]

issues related to non-market policies and practices of other countries.

III. Hearing Participation

    USTR will convene a public hearing. Details regarding the date and 
location of the public hearing will be published to USTR's website 
(<a href="http://www.ustr.gov">www.ustr.gov</a>). Please visit USTR's website for any updates to the 
hearing schedule. Persons wishing to appear at the hearing must provide 
written notification of their intention and a summary of the proposed 
testimony by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 12, 2027. Requests to appear 
must include a summary of testimony, and may be accompanied by a 
prehearing submission. Remarks at the hearing are limited to five 
minutes to allow for possible questions. Because the hearing will be 
public, testimony should not include any business confidential 
information (BCI).
    Small businesses (generally defined by the Small Business 
Administration as firms with fewer than 500 employees) or organizations 
representing small business members that submit comments should self-
identify as such, so that USTR may be aware of issues of particular 
interest to small businesses.
    Interested persons must submit their request to appear and a 
summary of the testimony using the docket titled ``Request to Appear at 
the Hearing on the Operation of the Agreement between the United States 
of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada,'' docket number 
USTR-2026-0596, using the electronic portal at <a href="https://comments.ustr.gov/s/">https://comments.ustr.gov/s/</a> and following the instructions in Part IV below. 
To be assured of consideration, USTR must receive the request to appear 
and the summary of testimony by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 12, 2027.
    Post-hearing rebuttal comments, which should be limited to 
rebutting or supplementing testimony presented at the hearing, may be 
submitted within seven calendar days after the last day of the public 
hearing. Rebuttal comments must be submitted to the appropriate docket 
titled ``Request for Comments on the Operation of the Agreement between 
the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada,'' 
docket number USTR-2026-0595, using the electronic portal at <a href="https://comments.ustr.gov/s/">https://comments.ustr.gov/s/</a> and following the instructions in Part IV.

IV. Procedures for Written Submissions

    To be assured of consideration, submit written comments, requests 
to appear at the hearing, summaries of testimony, and post-hearing 
rebuttal comments using the appropriate dockets on the portal at 
<a href="https://comments.ustr.gov/s/">https://comments.ustr.gov/s/</a> and as detailed in Parts II and III. All 
submissions must be in English. You do not need to establish an account 
to submit comments or a request to testify. The first screen allows you 
to enter identification and contact information. Third party 
organizations such as law firms, trade associations, or customs brokers 
should identify the full legal name of the organization they represent 
and identify the primary point of contact for the submission. USTR may 
not consider a comment or request if insufficient information is 
provided.
    You may upload documents and indicate whether USTR should treat the 
documents as business confidential or public information. Any page 
containing BCI must be clearly marked ``BUSINESS CONFIDENTIAL'' on the 
top of that page and the submission should clearly indicate, via 
brackets, highlighting, or other means, the specific information that 
is BCI. If requesting confidential treatment, you must certify in 
writing that the information would not customarily be released to the 
public. Interested persons uploading attachments containing BCI also 
must submit a public version of their comments.

Daniel O'Brien,
Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere, 
Office of the United States Trade Representative.
[FR Doc. 2026-20341 Filed 10-2-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3390-F4-P


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