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ARTICLE · 10 JULY 2026

CUSMA Still In Force Notwithstanding US Decision To Not Renew

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The United States' decision not to renew CUSMA in its current form has triggered significant uncertainty for North American trade relations. While the agreement remains in force until 2036, the shift to mandatory annual reviews creates an unprecedented review process that businesses must navigate. What does this mean for Canadian companies relying on CUSMA preferences, and how should they prepare for this new era of trade uncertainty?

GlobalInternational Law
Orlando E. Silva
Orlando E. Silva
Marco E. L. Mendicino
Marco E. L. Mendicino
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The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) required that representatives of each party conduct a mandatory six-year joint review of CUMSA on July 1, 2026. Unlike the representatives from Canada and Mexico, US Trade Representative Ambassador Greer issued a statement on that same day announcing that the United States did not agree to renew CUSMA “in its current form” resulting in its non-renewal.1 The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister responsible for Canada-US Trade issued a statement reaffirming “Canada’s unwavering support for CUSMA and its renewal.”2 Similarly, Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, stated that during the virtual joint review meeting, he had presented a letter from President Sheinbaum in which she expressed her support for renewal.3 Renewal would have resulted in CUSMA being in effect in its current form until 2042.

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