WASHINGTON _ The Trump administration has reached a deal with Mexico on a rewrite of the North American Free Trade Agreement, but the two sides now need a relatively quick buy-in from Canada, which is expected to return to the bargaining table.
The administration's preliminary agreement with Mexico, which includes a tightening of auto rules to increase production in North America, was struck after several weeks of talks and a marathon session over the weekend in Washington, sources monitoring the talks said Monday.
The United States still has significant unresolved issues with Canada, including President Donald Trump's insistence that Canada open up its dairy market. And time is of the essence.
Mexico and the United States want to have a three-way agreement by the end of this month, to allow enough time for Mexico's parliament to ratify a revamped NAFTA before its new president takes office on Dec. 1. With various procedural requirements, the earliest U.S. lawmakers could vote on the deal would be next year, when a new Congress is seated.
Still, a handshake with Mexico was a welcome development after a year of difficult negotiations and repeated threats from Trump to withdraw from the pact.
The preliminary bilateral agreement is expected to pave the way for renewed discussions with Canada, which has said it is open to resuming talks once the U.S. and Mexico have settled their differences.
