First USMCA negotiations to focus on content rules, economic security, Greer says

​U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson ​Greer said ‌on Friday ​that the first round of formal negotiations to update ‌the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement next week in Mexico City will focus on strengthening regional rules ‌of origin and economic security provisions.

He told ‌reporters at a Micron Technology memory chip plant in suburban Washington that regional content rules needed ⁠to ​be changed to ⁠help re-shore U.S. manufacturing, adding: "If you're going to get ⁠a special deal on trade with the ​United States of America, we want to ⁠make sure that there's U.S. content in that."

Greer added ⁠that ​he was aware of automakers' calls to keep the six-year-old USMCA a ⁠trilateral trade deal. Next week's talks will be ⁠between ⁠the U.S. and Mexico only and exclude Canada.