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From origin rules to supplier data, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) rewrote the rulebook. And if you’re not adapting fast—you’re either paying too much or exposing your brand.
What Is the USMCA, Really?
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is the modernized NAFTA. It officially came into effect on July 1, 2020, replacing the decades-old trade pact and setting new expectations for how products move across North America.
USMCA isn’t a minor update. It’s a full-system reboot that impacts:
- How you calculate origin
- How you track components
- How you certify your goods
- And how your teams prove compliance without a standard form
Key Objectives of USMCA (And Why They Matter to You)
Impact by Industry: What the USMCA Changes in Practice
Manufacturing & Automotive
- North American content requirements up from 62.5% → 75%
- Minimum 70% of steel must be regionally sourced
- 40–45% of labor must come from facilities paying $16/hour
- Automakers must trace high-value parts like engines, not just count part numbers
Bottom Line: You can’t fake origin claims anymore. You need supplier-level declarations, BOM transparency, and full auditability.
Agriculture
- U.S. gets 3.6% of Canada’s dairy market (up from ~1%)
- No discriminatory wheat grading against U.S. crops
- Promotes biotech cooperation & gene editing transparency
- Enforces fair treatment for phytosanitary and scientific measures
Bottom Line: If you're exporting crops, dairy, or biotech-enhanced food, you have more access, but also more oversight.
Services & Digital Trade
- Open, secure environment for cross-border data flows
- Equal treatment for financial, telecom, and professional services
- Recognizes e-signatures and no customs duties on digital products
Bottom Line: If you provide SaaS, consulting, or digital goods, USMCA protects your delivery model across borders.
How USMCA Certification Works: No Form, Just Facts
NAFTA Form 434 is gone. Under USMCA:
- You self-certify
- There’s no official form
- You must provide 9 mandatory data elements (HS code, origin criterion, blanket period, etc.)
And if you get it wrong? You, not your broker, carry the liability.
Documentation: 5 Years of Proof—or No Preferential Treatment
You must keep:
- Supplier declarations
- RVC calculations
- Country of origin (COO) proof
- Internal audits
For 5 years. For every shipment. No exceptions.
How to Stay Compliant: A Tactical Checklist
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Understand the Rules: No shortcut here. Study your HS codes and the USMCA origin criteria (A/B/C).
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Assess Your Supply Chain: If you’re sourcing from outside North America, review for transformation or RVC qualification.
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Determine Product Eligibility: Use tariff shift rules or calculate RVC using net cost or transaction value.
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Document Everything: Maintain COOs, certifications, cost breakdowns digitally.
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Establish Controls: Build a repeatable, auditable workflow. Compliance isn’t just yearly, it’s daily.
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Engage Your Suppliers: Get declarations upfront. Don’t wait until customs flags your shipment.
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Use Compliance Software: Excel won’t scale. Automate your COO tracking, RVC calculations, and HS code mapping.
What Happens If You Ignore It?
You risk:
- Retroactive tariffs
- Lost duty-free benefits
- Customs audits
- Damaged trade relationships
- Public reputation hits
USMCA Isn’t Just a Policy Shift—It’s a Data Problem
With cars crossing borders 8+ times during assembly, any weak link in documentation = exposure.
USMCA has made origin enforcement smarter, stricter, and less forgiving. The cost of non-compliance now outweighs the effort of compliance.
How Acquis Helps You Win with USMCA
At Acquis, we help compliance teams do more than “keep up.” We help you get ahead.
- Country of Origin (COO) Inquiry Engine: Track origin down to the supplier level
- HS Code Classification Support: Classify with accuracy and proof
- Supplier Engagement Tools: Automate the data chase
- Full Record Retention: Ready for 5-year audits—today
Talk to our USMCA compliance experts and see how Acquis transforms your manual tracking into real-time assurance.
USMCA compliance isn’t a one-time project—it’s a continuous risk and margin lever.
If you're using yesterday's processes for today’s rules, you're either overpaying in duties or one customs inquiry away from disruption.
Let Acquis help you turn your trade data into a competitive advantage.