Border Lines

A roundup of North American news:

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 9/1/1998

One little-noticed but important development under NAFTA is the rise of trilateral industry organizations. Since NAFTA took effect, many such groups in the United States, Canada, and Mexico have adopted a North American outlook. One example is the North American Transportation Alliance (NATA), which includes the American Trucking Associations, the Canadian Trucking Alliance, and CANACAR, Mexico's national trucking association. NATA serves as a trilateral discussion forum, represents members' interests before national and NAFTA government agencies, and promotes harmonization of trucking standards and practices. Another example is the recently formed North American Alliance (NAA), which promotes free trade of food, beverage, and consumer products in North America. Members include the Grocery Manufacturers of America, Food and Consumer Products Manufacturers of Canada, and ConMexico, the Mexican Council of the Consumer-Products Industry. Among the issues the group will address are product labeling, food-safety standards, and tariff policies. The group's goal, say organization executives, is to develop industry-driven solutions to North American trade problems.