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E l P a s o BusinessFrontier FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF DALLAS NAFTA’s First Five Years (Part 1) EL PASO BRANCH ISSUE 2 • 1999 Tyears he North American Free Trade Agreement turned 5 old at the end of 1998 and completed a third of its 15-year implementation schedule. At this juncture it is appropriate, then, to ask if NAFTA’s primary objective—increasing trade between the United States, Mexico and Canada—has been met thus far. This article, the first in a three-part series, looks at the North American economy and evaluates NAFTA’s trilateral impact on trade during the agreement’s first five years. THE NORTH AMERICAN ECONOMY When the focus is trade, NAFTA clearly has had a positive impact on the economies of the United States, Mexico and Canada during the agreement’s first five years. The North American economy is the biggest regional economy in the world. This is not surprising since, along with Canada and Mexico, it includes the United States—the biggest single economy in the world. In 1998, these three countries had a total of 396.3 million people and a gross domestic product (GDP) of $9.53 trillion (Table 1 ). By comparison, the European Union’s 15 economies represented a region of 374.6 million people and a GDP of $8.4 trillion. More than 68 percent of North America’s population in 1998 lived in the United States. Mexico had more than 24 percent of the region’s population, and Canada contributed nearly 8 percent. Mexico has a much younger population than its developed-country counterparts. In 1998, more than half of the country’s population—55 percent—was under the age of 25. The equivalent figures for the United States and Canada were 35 percent and 33 percent, respectively. The North American labor force was close to 193 million in 1998. Both the United States and Canada have very similar labor-force profiles. For example, in 1998, the share between the ages of 15 and 24 in Canada and between 16 and 24 in the United States equaled 15.9 percent in each country. The share of Mexico’s labor force between 15 and 24 was higher, at This publication was digitized and made available by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas' Historical Library (FedHistory@dal.frb.org) Table 1 The North American Economy, 1998 Population North America United States Mexico Canada 396,276,000 270,299,000 95,676,000 30,301,000 9,530 8,511 415 604 192,811,000 137,673,000 39,507,000 15,631,000 24,048 31,487 4,337 19,925 18.24* 1.75* 16.55* Gross domestic product (billions of U.S. dollars) Labor force GDP per capita (U.S. dollars) Manufacturing wage (hourly compensation rate in U.S. dollars) * 1997 data. SOURCES: Canada, Statistics Canada; Mexico, Instituto Nacional de Estadistica Geografía e Informática and Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social; United States, Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau. For hourly compensation rates, Bureau of Labor Statistics. 26.2 percent. The greater availability of a younger workforce in Mexico is a reflection of its sizable young population. Mexico’s developing-country status is graphically captured by its GDP per capita, which contrasts dramatically with those of its North American counterparts. As shown in Table 1, Mexico’s GDP per capita in 1998 was $4,337, while Canada’s and the United States’ were $19,925 and $31,487, respectively. Overall, North American GDP per capita, on a weighted average basis, was $24,048.1 Similarly, on wages, Mexico stands in sharp contrast to its developed-country regional partners. According to the latest available data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Mexico’s hourly compensation in manufacturing for 1997 was $1.75 per hour. The corresponding figures for Canada and the United States were $16.55 and $18.24, respectively. Certainly, NAFTA is only one of the factors that have impacted the region’s economies since the agreement’s inception in January 1994. For example, in 1995 Mexico experienced a severe economic crisis as a result of an unexpected peso devaluation in December 1994.2 Likewise, a number of factors have affected the U.S. and Canadian economies. Yet, when the focus is trade, NAFTA clearly has had a positive impact on the three economies during the agreement’s first five years. 1993 – 98 TRILATERAL TRADE U.S. Trade with Mexico and Canada Chart 1 shows U.S. exports to Mexico and Canada during 1993–98, and Chart 2 shows U.S. imports from these countries for the same period. As can be seen, U.S. exports to both Mexico and Canada grew considerably. However, because the Chart 1 Chart 2 U.S. Exports to Canada and Mexico, 1993–98 U.S. Imports from Canada and Mexico, 1993–98 Billions of U.S. dollars Billions of U.S. dollars 180 200 Canada Mexico 160 Canada Mexico 180 160 140 140 120 120 100 100 80 80 60 60 40 40 20 20 0 0 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 SOURCE: Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division. ’98 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 SOURCE: Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division. ’98 United States and Canada already had a free trade agreement when NAFTA started in 1994, the rise in bilateral trade may be attributable to both agreements. Exports to Canada in 1998 reached $156.6 billion, up from $100.4 billion in 1993, an almost 56 percent increase. Exports to Mexico were $78.8 billion in 1998, up from $41.6 billion in 1993, an 89.4 percent increase. U.S. imports from Canada and Mexico were $173.3 billion and $94.6 billion, respectively, in 1998. These levels were up 55.8 percent and 137.1 percent, respectively, from 1993. Table 2 gives a breakdown of the top products traded between the United States and Mexico and between the United States and Canada in 1998. Canada is the United States’ No. 1 trading partner, a position it held even before NAFTA. Last year, Canada was the destination of 23 percent of U.S. exports and the source of 19 percent of U.S. imports. Before NAFTA, Mexico was already the United States’ third-largest trading partner. However, four years into the agreement—in 1997— Mexico displaced Japan as the second-largest market for U.S. exports. Moreover, Mexico’s share in U.S. total imports grew steadily during NAFTA’s first five years, allowing the country to retain its position, behind Japan, as the third-largest source of U.S. imports. Exports to Mexico represented 11.5 percent of the U.S. total in 1998, up from 8.9 percent in 1993. Imports from Mexico were 10.4 Table 2 1998 U.S. Trade with Canada and Mexico, Top Products (Millions of U.S. dollars) Top U.S. Exports To Canada TOTAL Motor vehicles Electrical machinery and appliances General industrial machinery Power generating machinery Office machines and ADP equipment Miscellaneous manufactured articles Machinery, specialized Manufactures of metals Telecommunications equipment Professional scientific instruments Paper, paperboard Transport equipment Plastics in primary form Iron and steel Textile yarn, fabrics To Mexico 156,603 31,306 13,981 9,543 9,269 7,959 7,169 5,456 5,004 4,697 4,027 3,058 3,057 2,922 2,796 2,785 TOTAL Electrical machinery and appliances Motor vehicles General industrial machinery Miscellaneous manufactured articles Telecommunications equipment Office machines and ADP equipment Manufactures of metals Apparel and clothing Power generating machinery Machinery, specialized Textile yarn, fabrics Plastics in primary form Professional scientific instruments Paper, paperboard Petroleum, petroleum products 78,772 14,341 7,861 3,762 3,423 3,354 3,186 2,705 2,647 2,544 2,341 1,959 1,939 1,747 1,743 1,481 Top U.S. Imports From Canada TOTAL Motor vehicles Paper, paperboard Petroleum and petroleum products Cork and wood Nonferrous metals Gas, natural and manufactured Electrical machinery and appliances Transport equipment Power generating machinery General industrial machinery Furniture and bedding Miscellaneous manufactured articles Office machines and ADP equipment Manufactures of metals Telecommunications equipment From Mexico 173,256 44,304 8,635 7,494 6,516 5,867 5,853 5,770 5,417 5,178 4,856 4,014 3,838 3,702 3,587 3,455 SOURCE: Bureau of the Census, Foreign Trade Division. TOTAL Motor vehicles Electrical machinery and appliances Telecommunications equipment Apparel and clothing Office machines and ADP equipment Petroleum, petroleum products Power generating machinery General industrial machinery Professional scientific instruments Vegetables and fruit Miscellaneous manufactured articles Furniture and bedding Manufactures of metals Iron and steel Textile yarn, fabrics 94,629 16,753 13,540 10,882 6,813 5,523 5,293 3,844 3,166 2,717 2,647 2,408 2,317 1,811 1,253 1,196 percent of U.S. imports, up from 6.9 percent. Considering total trade though—both exports and imports combined — Mexico in 1999 replaced Japan as the United States’ second-largest trading partner. Trade with the United States is a more significant share of total trade for both Canada and Mexico than what each of these countries represents in total U.S. trade. Moreover, the United States gained greater ground in Canada’s and Mexico’s total trade during NAFTA’s first five years. In 1998, exports to the United States were 83.6 percent of Canada’s total, up from 78.4 percent in 1993; imports from the United States were 77 percent of Canada’s total, up from 73.5 percent. Similarly, a considerable majority of Mexico’s trade is with the United States. Exports to the United States represented 87.6 percent of Mexico’s total in 1998, up from 82.7 percent in 1993. Imports from the United States were 74.3 percent of the country’s total, up from 69.3 percent. Canadian–Mexican Trade Trade between Canada and Mexico was not significant before NAFTA, but it increased considerably after the agreement’s implementation. In 1998, Canada’s imports from Mexico (Mexico’s exports to Canada) reached $5.2 billion, up almost 79 percent from their 1993 level of $2.9 billion. Canada’s exports to Mexico (Mexico’s imports from Canada) rose to $876 million, an increase of almost 37 percent from $640 million. Despite Chart 3 NAFTA Tariff Elimination Schedule for U.S.–Mexican Trade Percent 120 100 U.S. imports from Mexico Mexico’s imports from U.S. 80 60 40 20 0 Pre-NAFTA 1994 1998 2003 2008 SOURCE: International Trade Commission. these noteworthy increases, however, Canada represented only about 2 percent of Mexico’s world trade in 1993 and throughout NAFTA’s first five years. Similarly, Canada’s imports from Mexico represented 2.1 percent of the country’s total imports before NAFTA in 1993; by 1998, this share had grown only slightly, to 2.5 percent. Canada’s exports to Mexico remained at 0.4 percent of the country’s total during NAFTA’s first five years. Table 3 provides a breakdown of the top products traded between Mexico and Canada. Table 3 1998 Canadian–Mexican Trade, Top Products (Millions of U.S. dollars) Canadian exports to Mexico Canadian imports from Mexico TOTAL 876 TOTAL Colza seeds Wheat and maslin Steering wheels Machinery for rubber or plastic molding Motor vehicle parts and accessories Powdered milk Alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes Wheels, parts and accessories Electrical apparatus for line telephony or telegraphy Textile fabrics Vehicles with cylinder capacity exceeding 3,000 cc Sulfur Reserved for special uses Coal briquettes Semichemical wood pulp 148 102 56 33 28 25 24 23 17 16 14 12 11 10 10 Motor cars and vehicles Wire, cable and other electric conductors Television sets Automatic data processing machines Seats and seat parts Petroleum oils and mineral oils Motor vehicles for transport Seat belts Stampings Steering wheels Spark-ignition, wiring sets Vehicles with cylinder capacity between 1,500– 2,500 cc Automatic data processing machines, others Electrical apparatus for line telephony or telegraphy Centrifuges for liquids or gases SOURCE: Statistics Canada. 5,153 654 527 292 281 206 136 125 121 107 98 87 77 68 66 60 Tariff Reductions Trade among the United States, Canada and Mexico has grown essentially because of the elimination of tariffs dictated by NAFTA. The agreement specifies a 15-year tariff-elimination schedule on trilateral trade. Chart 3 shows this schedule for U.S.–Mexican trade. As can be seen, within the agreement’s first five years, 76.2 percent of U.S. imports from Mexico and 66.3 percent of U.S. exports to Mexico were slated to become duty- free. The corresponding shares prior to NAFTA were 13.9 percent and 17.9 percent, respectively. The actual trade shares that are currently duty-free are higher, however, than what this original tariff-elimination schedule shows. This is because the NAFTA countries have taken advantage of a provision of the agreement that allows for tariff reductions ahead of schedule. The first of these rounds of accelerated tariff eliminations became effective July 1, 1997; the second round NAFTA Trade Disputes The NAFTA Secretariat is charged with administering the dispute settlement provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The secretariat comprises the Canadian, U.S. and Mexican sections, each with its own office in Ottawa, Washington, D.C., and Mexico City, respectively. The secretariat administers the NAFTA dispute resolution process under Chapter 11 (investment disputes), Chapter 14 (financial services disputes), Chapter 19 (antidumping [AD], countervailing duty [CVD] and injury determinations) and Chapter 20 (AD and CVD decision appeals and law amendment) of the agreement. Since the start of the agreement in 1994 through September 16, 1999, 35 Chapter 19 cases and two Chapter 20 cases have been completed; 17 Chapter 19 cases and two Chapter 20 cases remain active (see table). Responsibility for antidumping and countervailing duty determinations is as follows: • Canada. Revenue Canada Customs and Excise makes final AD and CVD determinations. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal makes final injury determinations. • United States. The Department of Commerce makes final AD and CVD determinations. The International Trade Commission makes final injury determinations. • Mexico. The Secretaría de Comercio y Fomento Industrial makes final AD and CVD and injury determinations. Completed Chapter 19 Trade Disputes Origin of dispute Product United States, 1995 Fresh cut flowers from Mexico United States, 1997 Agency’s determination Appeal Outcome Antidumping duty Mexican producers Panel unanimously remanded the agency’s determination Steel wire rod from Canada Countervailing duty Canadian producers and government of Quebec Panel review terminated by joint consent of participants Canada, 1995 Certain malt beverages from United States Rescinded injury finding Canadian producers Panel unanimously affirmed the agency’s determination Canada, 1997 Concrete panels from United States Injury finding U.S. producer Panel unanimously affirmed the agency’s determination Mexico, 1994 Flat coated steel products from United States Antidumping duty U.S. producer Panel unanimously remanded the determination to the agency Mexico, 1995 Seamless line pipe from United States Antidumping duty U.S. producer Panel review automatically terminated by sole requester NOTE: For a complete list of all trade dispute cases, see <www.nafta-sec-alena.org/>. SOURCE: NAFTA Secretariat. took effect August 1, 1998. A third round was initiated in July 1999 and has yet to conclude.3 Moreover, as overall duties on U.S.–Mexican trade have dropped, this has lowered the average tariff each country applies to goods from the other country. Thus, the average Mexican tariff on U.S. products dropped to less than 2 percent (1.68 percent) in 1998, down from 10 percent in 1993. The average U.S. tariff on Mexican goods—which, at 4 percent, was low even before NAFTA—dropped to less than 1 percent (0.46 percent) in 1998.4 Because the reduction in the average Mexican tariff on U.S. goods was greater than the reduction in the average U.S. tariff on Mexican goods, the United States has especially benefited from NAFTA. Trade Disputes NAFTA has not prevented trade disputes among the three countries. But the agreement provides a mechanism to address and resolve any trade disputes that surface between the NAFTA parties (see box titled “NAFTA Trade Disputes.”). Given that trade among all three countries advanced considerably during the agreement’s first five years, trade disputes have been the exception rather than the rule. CONCLUSION It is clear that during NAFTA’s first five years, the agreement’s main objective—of increasing trade among the United States, Mexico and Canada—was met since trilateral trade was substantially higher in 1998 than in 1993 before the start of the agreement. The next issue of Business Frontier will explore the U.S.–Mexican trade relationship further. Part 3 of this series will look at NAFTA’s impact on maquiladoras. —Lucinda Vargas NOTES 1 2 3 4 Jesus Cañas contributed to this article. North American GDP per capita was derived from the weighted average of the three countries’ GDP per capita, using the population of each country as the weights. For a look at the different effects of NAFTA and the peso devaluation on the Mexican economy, see David Gould, “Distinguishing NAFTA from the Peso Crisis,” Southwest Economy, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Issue 5, September/October 1996, pp. 6–10. See Grace Victoria Chomo, “NAFTA Accelerated Tariff Eliminations,” forthcoming in International Economic Review, U.S. International Trade Commission. See 1999 Trade Policy Agenda and 1998 Annual Report of the President of the United States on the Trade Agreements Program, Office of the U.S. Representative, March 1999, p. 159. Business Frontier is published four times a year by the El Paso Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System. Subscriptions are available free of charge. Please direct requests for subscriptions, back issues and address changes to the Public Affairs Department, El Paso Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, P.O. Box 100, El Paso, TX 79999; call 915-521-8235; fax 915-521-8228; or subscribe via the Internet at www.dallasfed.org. Articles may be reprinted on the condition that the source is credited and a copy of the publication containing the reprinted material is provided to the Research Department, El Paso Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Business Frontier is available on the Bank’s web site at www.dallasfed.org. Editor: Lucinda Vargas, Senior Economist Publications Director: Kay Champagne Copy Editors: Jennifer Afflerbach Monica Reeves Design: Gene Autry Layout & Production: Laura J. Bell
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