New USMCA can be template for rebalancing corporate, worker, consumer interests, trade law expert says
LAWRENCE — House Democrats and the White House announced Tuesday they had reached a deal on a newly-negotiated United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, virtually guaranteeing the updated trade deal would become law. The agreement, an update of the North American Free Trade Agreement, features several updates including strengthened protections for labor and environmental and pharmaceutical enforcement provisions.
Raj Bhala, Brenneisen Distinguished Professor at the University of Kansas School of Law and an international trade law expert, is available to discuss the updated deal with media. He can discuss the new proposal, its chances of becoming law, updates, new provisions, the previous NAFTA, economic and workforce stipulations for all three countries, negotiated changes in the deal between the White House and House Democrats, economic effects the deal will have and related topics.
“The newly renegotiated NAFTA contains a tough rule of origin on the use of steel in car manufacturing that is clearly designed to keep out semi-finished Chinese steel," Bhala said. "The new deal also contains significantly upgraded protections against labor rule violations in Mexico. And it drops the 10-year data exclusivity protection for biologic medicines, which may help reduce drug pricing.
“The upshot? The USMCA looks to be a new free trade agreement template for rebalancing among corporate, worker and consumer interests.”
Both Democrats and the White House are touting the agreement as an improvement in protections for U.S. workers and as a signature legislative achievement, respectively. Bhala can discuss the agreed upon version of USMCA, its long negotiation and the next steps before it becomes law.
He has worked extensively in all three countries included in the agreement and has a global reputation in the scholarship of international trade law. He lectures around the world and is the author of dozens of books and journal articles, including the acclaimed four-volume “International Trade Law: A Comprehensive Textbook,” now in its fifth edition; the two-volume treatise “Modern GATT Law” and “TPP Objectively: Legal, Economic, and National Security Dimensions of CPTPP” Second Edition.
He practiced international banking law at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York before entering academia and currently serves as senior advisor to Dentons in Kansas City. Bhala has worked in more than 25 countries, including China and throughout the European Union as well as Argentina, Turkey, Australia, England, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and throughout India.
To schedule an interview, contact Mike Krings at 785-864-8860 or mkrings@ku.edu.