Although the current tone of NAFTA negotiations remains somewhat contentious, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) continues to work with Canadian officials and members of the trucking industry across North America to help champion greater efficiencies in the supply chain through a modernized NAFTA agreement.
During the last round of NAFTA meetings in Montreal, CTA was joined by the Quebec Trucking Association (QTA) to discuss trucking related issues with Minister of International Trade Michael Chan, along with stakeholders from the transportation sector and officials from the federal government in charge of customs procedures and market access during NAFTA negotiations.
Among the issues discussed included the importance of “doing no harm” to the mutually beneficial relationship under the current agreement, and modernizing the agreement to include efficiencies such as: the repositioning of foreign empty trailers; the benefits of pre-clearance; a permanent U.S. In-transit program; and the implementation of more efficient inspections at the border.
“We appreciate the opportunity to continue to raise the profile on some of the industry’s issues and discuss how the movement of cross-border goods could become even more efficient under a modernized agreement,” says CTA president Stephen Laskowski. “We have the upmost confidence the hard work of the Canadian negotiating team will help drive benefits for the betterment of our industry and trade.”
Due to the nature of trilateral negotiations, agreement from stakeholders on a North American basis would help prioritize, and potentially expedite, discussions on certain issues. CTA continues to work with both the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Cámara Nacional del Autotransporte de Carga (CANACAR), on joint submissions regarding inspections, and other efficiencies related to trucking in North America.
As the next round of negotiations are set to take place in Mexico City, CTA will continue to work with Canadian negotiators, ATA, Canacar and other industry stakeholders in pursuing methods to streamline the movement of goods and services in the North American supply chain.