NAFTA Rules of Origin Repealed

Summary#

These final regulations, SOR/2021-145 — titled Regulations Repealing the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations — remove the earlier NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations from the books. They came into force on the day they were registered (June 17, 2021).

What it does#

• Repeals the NAFTA Rules of Origin Regulations (the instruments originally registered as SOR/94-14 and amended by SOR/95-382).
• States that the repeal took effect on the date of registration (June 17, 2021).
• Notes that a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement related to these changes appears alongside SOR/2021-144 (CCFTA Rules of Origin Regulations) in the Canada Gazette.

Who's affected#

• Likely to matter most to importers, exporters, manufacturers, and customs brokers who used the NAFTA rules of origin to claim tariff treatment at the border.
• Federal departments and border officials who applied those rules in customs processing.
• The Canada Gazette notice itself does not list specific affected businesses or groups, so the full list of who is affected is not spelled out in the source.

Why it matters#

• Rules of origin determine whether goods qualify for preferential tariff treatment. Repealing the NAFTA-specific rules removes those particular legal rules from effect.
• Businesses that relied on those rules for duty relief or for supply-chain planning may need to use other rules or documentation going forward.
• For more detail on the practical effects and any replacement measures, readers should consult the related Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement noted in the Gazette (see SOR/2021-144).