GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 24, 2026

USMCA

The USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement; Spanish T-MEC, French ACEUM) is the North American free-trade agreement that replaced the earlier NAFTA on 1 July 2020.

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Last updated: 24 June 2026Published: 23 June 2026

Source: USTR (USMCA), in Kraft seit 01.07.2020; USMCA Art. 34.7 (Joint Review); Congressional Research Service R48787 / R48964 (Joint Review, Beginn 01.07.2026, mögliche 16-Jahres-Verlängerung); CSIS „USMCA Review 2026"; US Supreme Court, Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, 20.02.2026 (IEEPA-Aus); Tax Foundation / Jade Intl (USMCA-Ausnahme vom Section-122-Aufschlag, gestiegene Nutzung). Stand: Juni 2026.

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Definition & Explanation

The USMCA (United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement; Spanish T-MEC, French ACEUM) is the North American free-trade agreement that replaced the earlier NAFTA on 1 July 2020. It governs the largely tariff-free movement of goods between the US, Mexico and Canada, provided the goods meet the rules of origin — for vehicles, for example, a regional value content of 75 percent and a labour value requirement. In the context of US tariff policy from 2025 the agreement is particularly relevant because USMCA-compliant goods are exempt from major parts of the new US tariffs: they were already exempt from the IEEPA surcharges and, since those ended (US Supreme Court, 20 February 2026), remain exempt from the temporary 10 percent Section 122 surcharge as well; Section 232 sectoral tariffs (e.g. steel/aluminium at 50 percent), by contrast, still apply. Non-compliant imports from Canada and Mexico bore the respective additional duties — which sharply increased USMCA utilisation. The first major joint review (under Art. 34.7) begins on 1 July 2026, when the three countries decide whether to extend the agreement for a further 16 years (through 2042). The US and Mexico already launched the process bilaterally on 18 March 2026. For exporters, the correct origin calculation determines whether the preferential rate (usually zero) or the regular or raised rate applies. As of June 2026.

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