With the July 1 CUSMA review deadline approaching, the early signals out of Washington point to continued tariff exposure for goods moving across the North American market. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has indicated the United States plans to keep tariffs on its USMCA partners, and pressure from Congress is building over what the review should achieve. For importers and exporters, the run-up to formal negotiations is the moment to take stock of origin documentation and sourcing exposure.
USTR signals tariffs are staying
Greer has signalled that the US intends to maintain tariffs on its USMCA partners rather than rolling them back ahead of the review. He has also described the outstanding issues with Canada as “significant,” a characterization that sets a hard tone heading into the formal review period. For Canadian exporters shipping into the United States, the practical takeaway is that tariff exposure on US-bound goods should be expected to persist through the negotiation window, not ease.
Senate Democrats lay out their demands
Congressional pressure is now part of the picture. A group of Senate Democrats has sent USTR Greer a letter setting out their own demands for the USMCA review, signalling that the administration faces expectations from within the legislative branch on how the agreement should be approached. The letter underscores that the review is not solely an executive-branch exercise, and that the terms ultimately pursued will draw scrutiny from Congress.
The July 1 deadline approaches
The July 1 review deadline is the milestone framing all of this activity. As that date nears, the parties are positioning rather than concluding, and key terms remain unsettled. Businesses that rely on duty-free treatment under CUSMA should treat the coming weeks as a preparation window before formal negotiations get underway in earnest.
What it means for importers and exporters
With tariffs signalled to continue and the review timeline tightening, importers should expect ongoing tariff exposure on US-bound goods and watch the review closely. Now is the time to review certificates of origin, confirm that sourcing records reflect current supply chains, and assess which product lines are most exposed if preferential treatment shifts. Getting origin documentation in order ahead of July 1 reduces the risk of disruption once the terms of the review come into focus. NGB is monitoring developments and can help clients evaluate their exposure as the review proceeds.
