U.S., Canadian and Mexican Business Leaders Highlight Importance of NAFTA Negotiations in Supporting Jobs, Growth & Competitiveness

Washington — Business leaders from the United States, Canada and Mexico met today in Washington to discuss the importance of modernizing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and further strengthening North American economic relations. Business Roundtable Chairman Jamie Dimon of JPMorgan Chase & Co. hosted the meeting in partnership with Linda Hasenfratz, Chair of the Business Council of Canada, and Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Chairman of the Consejo Mexicano de Negocios.

Following the meeting, the three organizations issued the following statement:

“Business leaders across North America support negotiations to modernize and strengthen NAFTA and help make the North American marketplace even more vibrant and competitive. NAFTA drives significant economic growth and job creation in each of our countries. Hundreds of thousands of businesses in our three countries trade with one another, and millions of jobs are supported by trade in goods and services among our countries.

“The global economy has changed dramatically since our respective governments negotiated NAFTA more than two decades ago. New industries and new challenges have emerged, including e-commerce, the digital economy and competition from state-owned companies. Negotiations to modernize and strengthen NAFTA provide a key opportunity to bring NAFTA into the 21st century so our companies and workers will be even more competitive in the future.

“We urge our governments to preserve and build on NAFTA’s proven benefits for businesses, workers and consumers. Negotiators must take care not to erect new barriers to the $1.3 trillion in trade across our borders. Equally, they must avoid disrupting supply chains that enable our companies and workers to produce globally competitive goods and services.

“Each of our organizations is fully committed to working with our respective governments and business communities to ensure the success of these negotiations to modernize and strengthen NAFTA.”

Contacts:

Betsy Andres Stewart

Business Roundtable

(202) 496-3270

McKensi Patterson

Business Council of Canada

(613) 288-3861

Hilda Ramírez

Consejo Mexicano de Negocios

(011) 5215554532182