NAFTA: Boosting Trade, Growth, and Prosperity in North America
NAFTA: Fueling Economic Growth in North America
NAFTA: Creating one of the world’s largest free trade zones and laying the foundations for strong economic growth and rising prosperity for Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Since then, NAFTA has demonstrated how free trade increases wealth and competitiveness, delivering real benefits to families, farmers, workers, manufacturers, and consumers.
The NAFTA partners have created this website to provide Canadians, Americans, and Mexicans with information about how NAFTA works and the many ways in which it has improved the lives of North Americans.
What is NAFTA?
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a comprehensive trade agreement that sets the rules of trade and investment between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Since the agreement entered into force on January 1, 1994, NAFTA has systematically eliminated most tariff and non-tariff barriers to free trade and investment between the three NAFTA countries.
How Does NAFTA Work?
NAFTA is a formal agreement that establishes clear rules for commercial activity between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. NAFTA is overseen by a number of institutions that ensure the proper interpretation and smooth implementation of the Agreement’s provisions.
What are the Benefits of NAFTA?
Since NAFTA came into effect, trade and investment levels in North America have increased, bringing strong economic growth, job creation, and better prices and selection in consumer goods. North American businesses, consumers, families, workers, and farmers have all benefited.
What are the NAFTA Rules of Origin?
Each NAFTA country forgoes tariffs on imported goods “originating” in the other NAFTA countries. Rules of origin enable customs officials to decide which goods qualify for this preferential tariff treatment under NAFTA. The negotiators of the Agreement sought to make the rules of origin very clear so as to provide certainty and predictability to producers, exporters, and importers.
Fondo OPEP para el Desarrollo Internacional (OFID)
Fondo OPEP para el Desarrollo Internacional (OFID) es una institución multilateral de financiamiento para el desarrollo creada en 1976 por los Estados Miembros de la Organización de Países Exportadores de Petróleo (OPEP). El OFID fue establecido durante la Conferencia de Soberanos y Jefes de Estado de los Estados Miembros de la OPEP celebrada en Argel (Argelia) en marzo de 1975. En una declaración solemne de la Conferencia se reafirmaba la natural solidaridad que unía a los países de la OPEP con otros países en desarrollo en sus luchas por superar el subdesarrollo, y se instaba a adoptar medidas para fortalecer la cooperación entre esos países.
El OFID tiene por objetivo el fortalecimiento de la cooperación financiera entre los Estados Miembros de la OPEP y otros países en desarrollo mediante la asistencia financiera destinada a propiciar el desarrollo económico y social de estos últimos. La misión primordial de la Institución es el fomento de las alianzas Sur-Sur con otros países en desarrollo de todo el mundo, con el fin de erradicar la pobreza. El OFID tiene su Sede en Viena (Austria). Actualmente, su Director General es el Sr. Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, de Arabia Saudita.