The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) commends Canada on the achievement of royal assent of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) from Governor General Julie Payette, following a decisive victory in the Canadian Senate. This follows the ratification by Mexico in 2019 and by the United States in January and makes the agreement officially final.
“The USMCA is a win for the North American recycling industry,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener in a statement. “The market and policy certainty that comes with the agreement will support the 130,000 U.S. jobs that depend on strong regional trade for scrap commodities and the industries that depend on these critical materials. We look forward to a swift implementation process in order to gain immediately from the agreement.”
ISRI has been an advocate for the industry throughout the negotiations because it will support the already robust North American scrap trade. More than 160,000 U.S. recycling industry jobs dependent on trade and more than $7.7 billion of U.S. scrap imports and exports are bolstered by key components of the agreement, including:
- Maintained tariff-free access in Mexico (U.S. and Canada are already tariff-free).
- Improved and accelerated customs clearances.
- Indirect recognition of the ISRI Specifications as industry standards.
- Increased demand for scrap through enhanced auto rules of origin requirements.
ISRI has worked assiduously with the administration, members of Congress and industry partners to advocate for this agreement. In partnership with the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries and Mexico's National Institute of Recyclers, ISRI developed a platform of issues that the three advocated with their respective governments during the early stages of the negotiation. The final agreement reflects those joint efforts, according to ISRI.