North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

NAFTA phased out tariffs on most originating goods traded among the three countries by 2008, using rules of origin such as 62.5 percent regional value content for autos. Importers claimed preference with a NAFTA Certificate of Origin. It is no longer in force: goods entered before July 1, 2020 followed NAFTA rules, while current trade uses USMCA rules of origin and certification of origin requirements.

NAFTA matters today mainly as the foundation of the North American supply chains that USMCA inherited. It drove growth in Mexican export manufacturing and in cross-border trucking corridors such as Laredo, which now carry inventory to US distribution centers. Operators still meet the term in old contracts, ERP origin fields and supplier files; a supplier sending a NAFTA certificate today is using an obsolete form and should provide a USMCA certification of origin instead.

• Certificate of OriginDocument that proves where goods were made
• Country of OriginCountry where goods were made

• Maquiladora Program1965 · Mexican border plants assemble imported parts duty-free

• USMCA2020 · North American free trade pact that replaced NAFTA
• Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement1989–1994 · 1989 US-Canada trade pact later folded into NAFTA
• IMMEX Program2006 · Mexican duty-free temporary import program for exporters

1. H.R. 3450, North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Congress.gov) congress.gov