NAFTA has been described by one expert as being a partial customs union. It is, in any case, a special kind of free trade area because it consists of two highly developed economies and one large third world economy. In this book, the contributors examine the specific interests of the three member countries, Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the creation of NAFTA. They also assess the influence of this trade area on their economics. Looking to the future, doubts are expressed about the feasibility of using NAFTA (a hope expressed by the USA) as a stepping stone in the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas. Instead, the contributors see the consolidation of MERCOSUR in Latin America and the creation of a new Trans-Atlantic Market - as proposed by Sir Leon Brittan - as more likely developments.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) - an extension of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Canada and USA to include Mexico - went into effect on January 1, 1994, primarily as an agreement to eliminate restrictions on trade and investment over the course of twelve years. NAFTA is a trade agreement and after twelve years remains as such with limited prospects, if any, of widening or deepening the integration process. Despite its narrow scope, the agreement became, from the start, controversial - and continues to be so - not only for trade and investment matters but for a whole host of other related issues. The other related issues include: the dispute settlement mechanism and side agreements on labor and environmental issues.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has become a pillar of the Canadian, American and Mexican economies and stands as one of the broadest, deepest free-trade agreements in human history. As the three countries enter a renegotiation of NAFTA, join dual Canadian-American citizen Raj Bhala for the historical context, current realities, and future possibilities for this crucial continent-wide agreement. Raj will describe the origins of NAFTA and its effects on all three countries, including concerns about "overselling" its benefits. He will cover sensitive sectors in agriculture (including wheat, wine, sugar, dairy and poultry) and industry (such as aircraft, steel, and automobiles). Raj will also discuss the eight-year NAFTA renegotiation that already took place—the Trans Pacific Partnership—and the potential starting points it offers for the issues of intellectual property, e-commerce, state-owned enterprises, labour rights, women's rights, and environment and climate change. Raj will even address strategic questions that could be considered heretical to ask. Don't miss this opportunity to get an American perspective on NAFTA from a Canadian-born expert.

When it came into force in 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) joined the economic futures of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with systematic rules governing trade and investment, dispute resolution, and economic relations. However, economic integration among the three countries extends considerably beyond trade and investment. The NAFTA agreement takes a very narrow view of integration, barely addressing such vital issues as immigration policy and labor markets, the energy sector, environmental protection, and law enforcement. The governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States now must confront the question of whether NAFTA is enough. Do they want to keep their trilateral relationship focused on economic matters or are they interested in integrating more deeply—perhaps initiating a process to build a North American Community similar to the European Union? This volume contains thoughtful discussions about the future of North America by knowledgeable experts from each of the three countries. Robert Pastor has written one of the more comprehensive books on the subject, Toward a North American Community (Institute for International Economics, 2001). Andrés Rozental is an ambassador at large for Mexico and president of Consejo Mexicano de Asuntos Internationacionales, the country's leading foreign policy association in Mexico. Perrin Beatty is a former foreign minister of Canada and currently the president and CEO of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. The governments of Canada, the United States, and Mexico face thorny challenges as they decide whether and how to accelerate smooth, and institutionalize the integration process. Pastor, Rozenthal, and Beatty encourage greater dialogue among the three governments and their citizens, as well as more systematic thinking among policymakers and citizens about the promise and challenges of further North American integration. This volume considers the promise and challenges o

The North American Free Trade Agreement binds Canada, Mexico, and the United States together in an ambitious and far-reaching experiment in regional economic integration. As we enter the new millennium, a central concern is whether NAFTA should be amended or reformed and how it might become the foundation for a hemispheric Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). To assess these possibilities, NAFTA in the New Millennium raises key questions: • How has NAFTA performed and how has it affected the member countries?• Is there popular support for NAFTA in Canada, Mexico, and the United States?• What are the prospects for change in the foreseeable future and for the longer term? • How does NAFTA fit into the still-evolving world economy? What is its relationship to other regional integration schemes and to multilateral connections on a global scale?Prominent contributors from Canada, Mexico, and the United States examine broad dimensions of NAFTA's history, politics, economics, and outlooks for future development. They address such topics as:• The rise of "free trade" as an idea • Occupational status and perceptions of NAFTA • Immigration policy and economic integration• The need for a social development fund• Prospects for dollarization • The impact of 9/11/01 on regional and hemispheric trade negotiations. We acknowledge the contributions of the Western Centre for Economic Research and Government of Alberta Department of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

"Very readable book written during height of NAFTA debate. Remains a valuable resource for discussing impact of the trade agreement in Mexico and US"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.