US Senator Chuck Grassley said on Tuesday that Canada and Mexico will not consider ratifying the revised North American Free Trade Agreement unless the United States lifts its tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
Grassley held meetings with Canadian Foreign Minister Cristia Freeland and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Martha Barsena Kokilast, and at the end of the meeting said that import duties on metals are currently "the biggest obstacle" to approving the deal.
" The Senate in Mexico is not going to consider it until tariffs are canceled ," Grassley told reporters. The House of Commons of Canada is not going to ratify the agreement unless tariffs are lifted. Even Republicans and Democrats in the United States Congress say these tariffs should be at least reduced . ”
Grassley, chairman of the finance committee responsible for sending the deal for approval to the US Senate, said the upcoming federal elections in Canada reinforce the need to remove tariffs to advance trade agreement negotiations.
US President Donald Trump imposed import duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum imports last March against shipments anywhere in the world, citing national security concerns. Although Canada and Mexico were initially exempted from fees, these deferrals expired on June 1, pending the outcome of NAFTA negotiations.
Both Canada and Mexico retaliated with tariffs on US steel, aluminum, agricultural products, and a range of other commodities.
Although the leaders of all three countries signed a revised agreement on November 30, the White House has not lifted tariffs on metals, continuing to blackmail their trade partners with them.
