Preface

On December 17, 1992, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in Ottawa, President Carlos Salinas de Gortari in Mexico City and President George Bush in Washington, D.C. signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These three ceremonies marked the end of a process that began on February 5, 1991 when the three leaders announced they would negotiate the NAFTA.

This guide was written with input from the Governments of Canada and Mexico and concentrates on explaining Chapters 4 and 5 of the NAFTA, where the rules of origin and procedural obligations relating to customs administration are described. We have also provided sources of further information in the three countries. We hope it gives importers, exporters and manufacturers an overview of the benefits and requirements of the Agreement.

As a result of the successful conclusion of these negotiations the NAFTA entered into force on January 1, 1994. One of the main results of the Agreement is the elimination of tariffs between Canada, Mexico and the United States on nearly all qualifying goods by the year 2003. Chapter 5 of the Agreement attempts to ensure that customs procedures will facilitate trade flows as much as possible.