Goals and Objectives of NAFTA

Goals

To foster, promote and implement cooperative relationships between and for the mutual benefit of the member states and their private sector communities in support of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  To eliminates tariffs on most goods originating in one or more of the three countries over a maximum transition period of fifteen years.

Objectives

The objectives of this Agreement are to:

a) Eliminate barriers to trade in and facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and services between the territories of the Parties

 b) Promote conditions of fair competition in the free trade area

 c) Increase substantially investment opportunities in the territories of the Parties

 d) Provide adequate and effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights in each Party's territory

 e) Create effective procedures for the implementation and application of this Agreement, for its joint administration and for the resolution of disputes

f) Establish a framework for further trilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation to expand and enhance the benefits of this Agreement.