Designation of Countries Order updated for CUSMA
Order Amending the Designation of Countries (Standards Council of Canada) Order (Miscellaneous Program): SI/2020-47
This order amends the Designation of Countries (Standards Council of Canada) Order to replace references to NAFTA with the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). It ensures the Standards Council of Canada can continue to accredit conformity-assessment bodies in the United States and Mexico; the amendment comes into force when section 2 of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act comes into force (or on registration if later).
- Published
- July 8, 2020
- Department
- Unavailable
- Section
- Order Amending the Designation of Countries (Standards Council of Canada) Order (Miscellaneous Program)
- Comment deadline
- Unavailable
- Effective date
- Unavailable
- Publication part
- Part II
Summary
Summary#
This is an order (SI/2020-47) that updates the Designation of Countries (Standards Council of Canada) Order to reflect the new North American trade agreement. It swaps references to North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and ties the change to the coming-into-force of the implementing law. The notice was published on July 8, 2020.
What it does#
- Replaces the wording in paragraph 2(d) of the Designation of Countries (Standards Council of Canada) Order so that it refers to “any country that is a party to the Agreement, as defined in section 2 of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act” instead of mentioning NAFTA.
- Sets the effective date: the amendment comes into force when section 2 of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement Implementation Act comes into force. If the order is registered after that day, it comes into force on the day it is registered.
Who's affected#
- Standards Council of Canada — this is the federal body that accredits organizations that test, inspect, or certify products and services.
- Organizations in the United States and Mexico that perform conformity assessment (testing, inspection, certification) and that might be accredited by the Standards Council of Canada.
- Canadian businesses and workers who rely on accredited testing and certification for trade with the United States and Mexico.
If anything else is affected is not spelled out in the notice.
Why it matters#
- It keeps Canada’s accreditation rules in step with the new trade agreement. That helps the Standards Council of Canada continue to accredit bodies in the U.S. and Mexico under the updated agreement terms.
- The change is meant to support implementation of CUSMA and to keep the order effective so trade-related testing and certification arrangements remain predictable.
- Background context in the notice: the implementing law received royal assent on March 13, 2020, and Canada ratified CUSMA on April 2, 2020.
Key topics
Source: Canada Gazette