USMCA Joint Review Tracker

The review is open.
Every lane is moving.

A weekly view of the 2026 USMCA joint review: what has changed, what has not, and what it means for your compliance program.

Last updated August 30, 2026 · Canada published its Sept. 8 counter-tariff order, 629 tariff items; Canada track suspended; Round 4 with Mexico set for early September
Home Resources USMCA Joint Review Tracker Policy Source Library
Members-only: Filterable Source Library

Search USMCA analysis by topic

Articles and commentary from partner law firms, organized so you can find what applies to your compliance program in seconds, not scroll through a general feed.

Already a member? Open the library and log in when prompted.

New here? Individual members get their first year free.*

2018
USMCA Signed
2020
Enters Into Force
May 2026
Round 1, Mexico City
Bilateral
Completed
Jun 2026
Round 2, Washington
Bilateral
Completed
Jul 1, 2026
Joint Review Convened
Trilateral
Completed
Jul 21–23, 2026
Round 3, Mexico City
Bilateral
Completed
Sep 2026
Round 4, Washington
Bilateral
Directed
2036
Term Ends Absent Extension

Latest Developments

Aug 25, 2026
Finance Canada publishes the counter-tariff order and a 629-item product list, covering $27.6 billion
The Department of Finance Canada issued its formal countermeasures package together with the operative tariff-item backgrounder. Counter-tariffs of 15, 25 and 50 percent apply to 629 U.S. tariff items covering $27.6 billion in imports, each rate matched to the corresponding U.S. Section 338 or Section 232 rate on the same goods, effective 12:01 a.m. on September 8, 2026. Scope turns on eligibility to be marked as a good of the United States under the CUSMA marking regulations, not on where a good shipped from, and USMCA preference does not exempt a listed good. Goods in transit when the measures come into force are excluded, and CBSA customs notices will carry the administrative detail. This supersedes the August 22 entry below: the official coverage figure is $27.6 billion, not the roughly $20 billion press reporting had indicated, and the product list is now published. A $7.5 billion support package accompanies the measures.
Aug 24, 2026
Finance Canada readout is the first official confirmation that negotiations are suspended
The Department of Finance Canada published a readout of Minister Champagne’s virtual meeting with provincial and territorial finance ministers. Minister LeBlanc briefed ministers on the suspension of trade negotiations with the United States, and Minister Champagne outlined the response, including dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs effective September 8 and a support package to follow. Until this readout the suspension was carried on the tracker from Prime Ministerial remarks and press reporting; this is the first official departmental confirmation on the record.
Aug 24, 2026
Country positions harden: Greer blames Canada, Carney says the U.S. asked too much, and no new talks are scheduled
Following the collapse, USTR Greer publicly blamed Canada for the failed talks, saying Canada “wanted more” than the offered terms, while Prime Minister Carney said the United States “asked too much and offered too little” and characterized the new tariffs as a miscalculation. Neither side has scheduled further negotiations, leaving the CUSMA-track bilateral discussions with Canada suspended while the U.S.–Mexico track continues toward Round 4 in September. This supersedes the August 6 through August 13 entries below describing active weekly LeBlanc–Greer meetings. A Canadian official separately told the Associated Press that the detailed retaliatory list will be announced Tuesday, August 25.
Reported Positions →
Aug 22, 2026
Canada suspends negotiations and confirms dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs effective September 8
Prime Minister Carney chaired a virtual First Ministers’ Meeting following the suspension of trade negotiations with the United States. The official readout confirms Canada will impose dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs coming into force the Tuesday after Labour Day, September 8, 2026, alongside support measures for affected Canadian workers and businesses. Press reporting indicates the counter-tariffs will cover approximately $20 billion of U.S. products including steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics. The product-level list had not been published as of August 24. Members exporting U.S. goods to Canada should watch for the tariff schedule from the Department of Finance Canada.
Aug 22, 2026
Negotiations collapse and the 50% Section 338 tariffs take effect on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods
Talks between USTR Greer and Canada–U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc broke down late on August 21, hours before the paused Section 338 tariffs, originally set for August 19 and deferred to August 22, took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET. Greer said Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier that week, citing new demands and walked-back commitments, and said no new talks with Canada are planned. The abandoned package reportedly included significant tariff reductions on steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber plus an economic and security partnership. This stalls the Canada bilateral track of the joint review indefinitely; the U.S.–Mexico track is unaffected so far.
Aug 21, 2026
CBP issues filing guidance for the 50% Section 338 duties; USMCA qualification is not an exemption
CBP published CSMS # 69606660 implementing the three July 20 Section 338 proclamations. The 50 percent additional duty applies to covered Canadian-origin goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. ET on August 22, 2026, and the guidance sets out the new HTSUS Chapter 99 headings importers must report. Duty liability is determined by the date of entry, not the ship date. Goods already subject to Section 232 duties such as steel and aluminum, plus energy, potash, fish, and critical minerals, remain excluded per the proclamations, but the exclusion still has to be filed.
Aug 13, 2026
LeBlanc and Charette hold a fourth Washington meeting with Greer in three weeks; talks “ongoing” ahead of the tariff deadline
Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Chief Trade Negotiator Janice Charette met USTR Jamieson Greer in Washington on August 13, a roughly 90-minute session that was their second that week and fourth in three weeks. LeBlanc said “negotiations are ongoing, and we continue to advance Canada’s interests,” and “we’ll have as many meetings as it takes,” though sources indicate significant gaps remain, including U.S. insistence on retaining some auto tariffs and pressure on Canada over provincial alcohol delistings and dairy access. The meetings aim at an interim arrangement before the 50% tariffs scheduled for August 19. No Canada–U.S. bilateral negotiating round under the joint review has been formally announced, and neither government has issued an official readout, so this remains reported.
Aug 12, 2026
Ebrard previews Mexico’s Round 4 agenda: geopolitics, rules of origin, semiconductors
Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico’s priorities for the fourth U.S.–Mexico round, expected in Washington in early September, will include geopolitical considerations, rules of origin, and reducing strategic dependencies, particularly in semiconductors. He said Mexico will present evidence that Section 232 tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum are ineffective — noting U.S. steel imports from Asia grew while Mexican exports fell — and will challenge the legal basis of the Section 301 excess-capacity investigations. The exact date of Round 4 remains unconfirmed. This is a statement of intent carried in Mexican press, not an official joint announcement.
Aug 11, 2026
Canada’s chief negotiator warns August 19 tariffs could halt CUSMA-track talks
Janice Charette told USTR counterparts in Washington that if the threatened 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods take effect on August 19, it would be a “cliff” risking a halt to negotiations, with Ottawa forced to retaliate and losing room to negotiate. The two sides are reported to be working toward an interim agreement. This is the clearest statement to date of Canada’s position ahead of any formal Canada–U.S. bilateral round, which remains unannounced. Sourced to unnamed officials; no government readout has been published.
Aug 6, 2026
Greer and LeBlanc hold second Washington meeting in two weeks; Canada presses for comprehensive sectoral-tariff deal
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Chief Trade Negotiator Janice Charette met USTR Jamieson Greer in Washington on August 6, their second sit-down in as many weeks; a scheduled 30-minute meeting ran roughly 90 minutes. LeBlanc stated afterward that the meeting was "constructive and detailed" and that Canada's focus "has been and will continue to be on striking a comprehensive deal that addresses sectoral tariffs." No formal U.S.–Canada bilateral negotiating round under the joint review has been announced; engagement is running through these ministerial meetings ahead of the August 19 effective date of the U.S. Section 338 duties.
Jul 23, 2026
Round 3 concludes; fourth bilateral round directed for Washington
USTR and Mexico’s Secretariat of Economy issued aligned statements after three days of talks in Mexico City. Ambassador Greer met President Sheinbaum and Secretary Ebrard. The official record confirms discussion of automobiles, economic security, labor, agriculture, electronic payment services, and steel and aluminum, but no agreed amendment text was released. A fourth round was directed for Washington in September 2026.
Official Announcement Negotiation Tracker →
Jul 23, 2026
Automotive content remains the central unresolved issue
Reporting after the talks indicates the two sides remain apart on automotive content, including a U.S. demand that vehicles carry 50% U.S.-made content to qualify for preferential access. Mexico continues to seek relief from separate Section 232 tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminum before broader concessions.
Reported Automotive →
Jul 23, 2026
USTR finalizes forced-labor Section 301 action; USMCA duty-free goods exempt
USTR imposed additional duties of 10% or 12.5% on 60 economies for failure to enforce forced-labor import prohibitions, effective July 24. Goods of Canada and Mexico entered free of duty under USMCA are exempt, as are Section 232 articles. Eligibility for preference is not enough on its own; the goods must actually enter duty free under the agreement.
Official Announcement Labor →
Jul 22, 2026
Greer tells Senate talks with Mexico continue, door open to Ottawa
In Senate Finance testimony, Ambassador Greer said he was traveling to Mexico that day to join the talks, that the new Canada tariffs would not take effect for 30 days, and that the United States remained open to discussing a path forward with Ottawa. Reporting the same week indicated he is aiming for interim arrangements with both partners by year end, with harder issues carried into 2027.
Official Statement Positions →
Jul 20, 2026
U.S. imposes 50% Section 338 tariffs on certain Canadian goods
Three presidential proclamations impose an additional 50% duty on Canadian motor vehicle, alcoholic beverage, and dairy products, effective August 19, 2026. The duties apply regardless of whether goods originate under USMCA. Energy, potash, Section 232 articles, fish, and critical minerals are excluded. Annex coverage extends well past the three headline categories.
Official Announcement Canada Position →
Jul 3, 2026
Canada briefs provinces; reiterates steel, aluminum, auto, lumber priorities
Minister LeBlanc updated provincial and territorial trade ministers on the Joint Review outcome, reiterating that Canada will keep pressing the US on sectoral tariffs while defending the trilateral framework.
Official Statement Canada Position →
Jul 1, 2026
Trilateral Joint Review convenes; US declines 16-year renewal
The Free Trade Commission held the mandatory six-year review under Article 34.7. The US did not agree to renew on current terms, triggering annual reviews. USTR was explicit: the agreement "remains in force pending resolution of these issues or until the Agreement's termination."
Official Statement Legal Status →
8 Tracked Topics

Status by Topic

Each topic carries two statuses, and they are independent by design. The first pill is what you need to do, which can be driven by Section 232, Section 301 or ordinary rulemaking as much as by the agreement itself. The second is what is happening at the negotiating table. A topic can be the loudest fight of the review and require nothing of you today, or attract no negotiating attention at all and be costing you money right now.

De Minimis

Immediate Action Required Adjacent
De minimis is not a confirmed Joint Review workstream, it is tracked because adjacent regulation is moving. Treaty discussions remain separate from CBP’s independent de minimis rulemakings, which are moving on their own timetable.
Chapter 7
Read more →

Automotive

Immediate Action Required Contested
Automotive content is the most consequential unsettled item in the review-related talks. Reporting after Round 3 shows no convergence on tougher content rules, and Mexico continues to link broader concessions to relief from separate U.S. auto tariffs.
Chapter 4, Automotive Appendix
Read more →

Steel & Aluminum

Immediate Action Required Contested
Steel and aluminum stayed on the Round 3 agenda without a public resolution. Separate U.S. tariff actions continue to shape market access, sourcing choices, and commercial leverage.
Outside USMCA text: Section 232, domestic law
Read more →

Economic Security

Immediate Action Required Contested
Shared ground with Mexico on supply chains and non-party free-riding survives, but Canada’s position has diverged with no resolution. The August 24 Finance Canada readout officially confirmed negotiations are suspended, and the August 25 countermeasures package puts a dated Canadian measure against the U.S. one.
Cross-cutting: Chapters 4, 7
Read more →

Labor

Immediate Action Required On Agenda
Labor stayed on the bilateral agenda through Round 3. The July 23 forced-labor Section 301 action sharpens the need for importers to verify supply-chain controls and supplier diligence.
Chapter 23, Annex 31-A
Read more →

Agriculture

Immediate Action Required Contested
The Section 338 duties covering roughly 52 Canadian dairy tariff classifications took effect August 22. Canada’s published order answers them with 50 percent on U.S. milk, cream and whey and 25 percent on cheese from September 8, putting the two positions directly opposite each other. The immediate work is entry filing and exposure screening.
Chapter 3
Read more →

Rules of Origin

Immediate Action Required Contested
The USMCA origin rules are unchanged and the reported U.S.-content demand still has no published proposal. What moved is the value of qualifying: since August 22 the 50 percent Section 338 duties apply to covered Canadian goods whether or not they are originating, and covered entries need a Chapter 99 heading.
Chapters 4–5
Read more →

Digital Trade

Prepare for Compliance Contested
Electronics fall inside Canada’s September 8 counter-tariff list, the first item on this page to create an obligation for members. Carney named protection of the French language and Canadian culture as a red line in ending the talks, and the CRTC is proceeding with the streaming discoverability rules U.S. negotiators opposed.
Chapter 19
Read more →
Formal Process

Negotiation Tracker

Bilateral negotiating rounds and the formal trilateral Joint Review are two separate tracks. Both are shown here.

Date Forum Parties Issues Outcome
May 28–29, 2026 Bilateral Round 1 US – Mexico Economic security, automotive rules of origin, steel & aluminum Concluded; advanced discussions on ROO and economic security
Jun 15–17, 2026 Bilateral Round 2 US – Mexico Rules of origin, economic security, agriculture, labor, environment (conceptual) Concluded; Greer & Ebrard met directly in DC
Jul 1, 2026 Trilateral Joint Review US, Mexico, Canada Mandatory Article 34.7 six-year review US declined 16-year renewal; annual reviews triggered; agreement remains in force
Jul 21–23, 2026 Bilateral Round 3 US – Mexico Steel & aluminum, automobiles, economic security, labor, agriculture, electronic payment services Completed. Joint statement issued Jul 23; Greer met President Sheinbaum and Secretary Ebrard; no public amendment text
Sep 2026 Bilateral Round 4 US – Mexico Carryover agenda from Round 3; automotive content the central open item Directed by the Jul 23 joint statement. Washington, D.C. Mexican press reports place it in the first half of September; exact dates not yet announced. Now the only active negotiating channel
TBD US – Canada bilateral track US – Canada Steel, aluminum, autos, lumber tariffs; Section 338 action Suspended. Canada recalled its negotiating team on Aug 22 after talks collapsed Aug 21. The Section 338 tariffs took effect Aug 22 following a three-day suspension; Canadian counter-tariffs are set for Sep 8. No further talks scheduled

Sources: USTR press releases (May 29, Jun 18, Jul 1, Jul 17, Jul 20, Jul 23, 2026); White House Section 338 fact sheet (Jul 20, 2026); Global Affairs Canada, Minister LeBlanc statements (Jul 1, Jul 3, 2026); El Financiero (Jul 23–24, 2026) on Round 4 timing.

Three-Country View

Positions of the Parties

United States
Declined 16-year renewal; the Mexico track continues while the Canada track is suspended and the Section 338 duties are in force
Top priorities: reducing trade deficits; tighter automotive and industrial rules of origin, including a reported 50% U.S.-content requirement for vehicles; regional manufacturing and supply-chain resilience; limiting free-riding by non-parties.
Recent statement: Ambassador Greer, Jul 22 Senate Finance testimony. Negotiations with Mexico continuing, the new Canada tariffs delayed 30 days, and the United States open to discussing a path forward with Ottawa.
Reported: Greer is aiming for interim arrangements with Mexico and Canada by the end of 2026, with automotive content, labor, and environment carried into 2027.
Mexico
Accepts annual-review structure; still pressing for Section 232 relief before broader concessions
Top priorities: relief from separate U.S. tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminum; resistance to any U.S.-specific vehicle content requirement; defense of existing rules of origin; a regional approach to automotive integration.
Recent statement: Jul 23 joint statement with USTR, plus the Secretariat of Economy’s parallel declaration. Ebrard described the talks as constructive, with advances on steel, aluminum, and substitution of imports from Asia.
Reported, Jul 29: at the July 29 presidential press conference, Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard responded to recent U.S. statements on the agreement by asserting that Mexico is now the number one buyer of U.S. products, ahead of China, Germany, and Japan, and that this "strengthens our position at the negotiating table." He said Mexico maintains constant communication with U.S. authorities to preserve preferential treatment under the agreement and reiterated that the fourth negotiating round is set for September.
Reported: Mexico expects no practical change in effective tariff treatment from the Jul 23 Section 301 action, because USMCA-qualified goods remain exempt.
Canada
Negotiations suspended Aug 22; matching counter-tariffs announced for Sep 8
Top priorities: relief from U.S. sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos, and softwood lumber; avoiding further escalation; preserving the trilateral framework rather than a U.S.-Mexico-led process.
Recent development: the Jul 20 Section 338 proclamations impose 50% duties on certain Canadian goods effective Aug 19, regardless of USMCA origin. Prime Minister Carney said on Jul 21 that he and President Trump agreed to intensify talks.
Reported, Aug 4: The Globe and Mail reported that LeBlanc and Charette traveled to Washington to revive a metals framework under which Canadian steel and aluminum exports would be subject to tariff-rate quotas in exchange for reduced U.S. Section 232 tariffs (in-quota steel tariffs reportedly in the 10–15% range versus 25–50% outside the quota, based on terms discussed in October 2025). The report indicates the near-term focus is interim sectoral arrangements before year-end, with structural USMCA negotiations, including potential automotive changes, expected to continue into 2027. Unconfirmed by either government.
Reported, Aug 6: Prime Minister Mark Carney said negotiations with the U.S. had turned "nasty" after President Trump, in an August 5 Las Vegas speech, criticized Canada's "nasty leadership" while threatening to proceed with 50% tariffs on additional Canadian goods from August 19. Carney said Canadian negotiators were in Washington that week, that talks cover strategic sectors including autos, and that he expected further conversations with Trump after speaking with him the prior week. The remarks frame Canada's posture of staying at the table on sectoral tariffs while defending the trilateral framework.
Confirmed, Aug 22: Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada is suspending negotiations with the United States and recalling its team to Ottawa, saying the U.S. “asked too much and offered too little” and that its proposals were uneconomic, unfair, and undermined the net benefits to Canada. He stated that the United States has imposed tariffs that violate its commitments under CUSMA. Canada will match the new U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar, targeting steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics, effective September 8, 2026. The Department of Finance Canada product list had not published as of August 24.
Engagement: suspended. Contact through calls and meetings in Washington between Minister LeBlanc and Ambassador Greer ran through August 21; no formal negotiating round was ever announced, and no further talks are scheduled.
Business impact: a KPMG poll reported in early July found 42% of Canadian manufacturers have shifted or plan to shift production to the U.S., and 57% have paused or cut capital spending amid the uncertainty.

Sources: USTR press releases and Senate Finance testimony (Jul 2026); Secretaría de Economía; White House Section 338 fact sheet; Global Affairs Canada; Reuters and Associated Press reporting, Jul 20–24, 2026; The Globe and Mail (Aug 4, 2026); ABC News wire (Aug 6, 2026); El Gráfico (Jul 29, 2026); Prime Minister of Canada, remarks and First Ministers’ Meeting readout (Aug 22, 2026); CBP CSMS # 69606660 (Aug 21, 2026); CNBC and Associated Press reporting (Aug 22–24, 2026).

Round 3 Outcome

Bilateral · US–Mexico

July 21–23, 2026, Mexico City. Ambassador Greer met President Claudia Sheinbaum and Secretary Marcelo Ebrard. Official disclosures cover economic security, labor, agriculture, electronic payment services, steel and aluminum and derivative products, and automobiles. The round produced a joint statement and a direction to convene a fourth bilateral round in Washington in September 2026.

What it did not produce. No agreed amendment text, protocol, or sector-by-sector settlement has been published. Reporting after the talks identifies automotive content rules as the central sticking point, with Mexico continuing to seek relief from separate Section 232 tariffs before broader concessions. Canadian participation in Round 3 is not established in the public record.

Why it matters. The review-related negotiations are no longer hypothetical. Automotive rules, supply-chain security, labor-linked enforcement, metals, and electronic payment services all remained active enough to carry into a fourth round, so scenario planning, origin-data readiness, and tariff-overlap monitoring stay near the top of the compliance agenda.

Note: this was a bilateral US–Mexico negotiating round related to the Joint Review. It was not itself the formal trilateral Article 34.7 joint review, which was convened separately on July 1, 2026.

↗ USTR, joint statement with Secretary Ebrard, July 23 ↗ USTR, Round 3 announcement, July 17
Public Source Library

Key Documents

Primary government sources cited across this tracker. Members get the full Tier 1/Tier 2 archive in the Source Library.

Members: every source behind every topic, in one filterable place. Tier 1 primary government sources and Tier 2 legal and policy analysis across all eight topics, including sources that have rotated off the topic pages.
Open the Source Library →

Also in the members-only library: the July 1 statements from Ambassador Greer and Minister LeBlanc, the July 17 Round 3 announcement, Ambassador Greer’s July 22 Senate Finance testimony, Canada’s July 23 response to the Section 301 action, and the Secretaría de Economía declaration.

Read Before The Headlines Worry You

What Hasn't Changed

Is USMCA still in force?
Yes. The agreement remains fully in force. The US declined to confirm a 16-year renewal, which triggers annual joint reviews. It does not end the agreement.
Do my preferential tariff rates change today?
No. Current preferential tariff treatment, rules of origin, and dispute settlement mechanisms remain fully operative. Separate domestic tariff programs can still change what a specific entry costs.
Is the de minimis change part of USMCA?
No. CBP's suspension of the general $800 de minimis exemption is a separate, already-effective action, distinct from the USMCA review's own de minimis discussion, which has not yet started formally.
Did Round 3 amend the agreement?
No. No agreed amendment text, protocol, or implementing legislation has been published from Round 3. The confirmed outcome is procedural: a joint statement, and a fourth bilateral round directed for Washington in September 2026.
Do the new Section 301 and Section 338 tariffs mean USMCA has ended?
No. Both rely on separate domestic tariff authorities. Goods of Canada and Mexico entered free of duty under USMCA are exempt from the July 23 Section 301 forced-labor action, while the July 20 Section 338 duties apply to covered goods regardless of USMCA origin. Treaty status and tariff exposure are now two different questions, and they need to be answered separately for each entry.

Full Source Library: Members Only

Tier 1 and Tier 2 sourcing for every topic above, and the full status archive back to the review's start.

Log in to view
ICPA Mexico Conference

Live Status Update, November 3–5

Get the latest USMCA review developments straight from ICPA's trade policy team.

Register now

Trade Law Partners

Have a legal question about the review? ICPA's trade law partners are available to help members navigate the compliance implications of the joint review.

The Braumiller Group
Trade Compliance & Customs Law
The Braumiller Group is a highly respected boutique trade practice focused on international trade compliance and proven strategies to optimize global trade business practices.
Visit braumillerlaw.com ↗
Schulz Trade Law
International Trade & Customs Law
Schulz Trade Law, PLLC is a highly regarded law firm focused on international trade, customs compliance, and strategic counsel for businesses navigating complex global regulatory environments.
Visit schulztradelaw.com ↗
Tuttle Law
Customs & International Trade Law
Tuttle Law is a customs and international trade law firm assisting clients throughout the U.S. and abroad to reduce import duties, mitigate penalties and achieve compliance with U.S. Customs and international trade regulations.
Visit tuttlelaw.com ↗

About this tracker

Spot something inaccurate, know of a development, article, or video that should be added, or notice something not working? Reach out any time.

This tracker is researched and maintained by Heather Tschirhart, who leads ICPA’s trade research and data work.

Contact Heather

Loading...