Records on North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

The materials in FOIA 2003-0906-F are a selective, not necessarily all inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult the archivist about related materials. 2003-0906-F 2 FOIA 2003-0906-F contains materials generated primarily by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) related to the negotiation and creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Other materials tangentially related to NAFTA as well as trade with Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe are also included. White House Office of Records Management (WHORM) Subject File categories contain bound copies of the trade report, "Probable Economic Effect on U.S. Industries and Consumers of Accelerated Elimination of U.S. Tariffs on Certain Articles from Canada" (volumes 1A-7B) and reports related to enforcement of the Trade Act of 1974. The Staff and Office Files contain memoranda, correspondence, press releases and briefings, speeches/ remarks, reports, personnel files, court transcripts/ rulings, legislation discussion papers, and cables. These materials consist of reports primarily related to trade issues, negotiations, and disputes between the United States and Mexico, Canada, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Asia. Included in these reports are discussion papers related to matters of trade and negotiating objectives sought by the United States in order to open or expand trade with these countries as well as correspondence between the U.S. Trade Representative and foreign counterparts pertaining to affecting a Free Trade Agreement in North America and individually with several other nations. Included are correspondence from private trade organizations to the USTR, Congress, and White House urging specific actions be taken to facilitate and/ or improve trade relations or to remedy what they view as unfair trade practices by foreign countries, as well as official U.S. Government Special 301 investigations regarding potential sanctions against unfair trade practices by other countries. Also included are discussion papers regarding proposed legislation related to trade issues, press releases/ briefings, speeches, Presidential Proclamations, fact sheets, personnel records related to nominations within the office of the USTR, court rulings and transcripts related to trade issues, photocopies of book chapters and magazine articles relating to international trade, "˜transition' reports on the status of trade relations from the outgoing Reagan Administration, public-private trade mission reports from Mexico, Presidential correspondence to Congress regarding the granting of Fast Track Authority for facilitating trade negotiations, private sector reports on U.S. trade, and copies of the Canada Free Trade Agreement along with attendant press releases, memoranda, speeches, and signing statements. Read less