Lawmakers Ask USTR to Make Higher de Minimis a NAFTA Priority

A bipartisan group of 59 House members asked the U.S. trade representative to make raising de minimis levels in NAFTA a chief negotiating priority. In a letter sent April 10, led by Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., and Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., they said that "simplifying, modernizing and expediting customs procedures will help facilitate the movements of low-value shipments across borders." The letter notes that the U.S. de minimis threshold is $800, while Mexico's is $50 and Canada's is $16. It's critical that the administration follow through in its efforts to convince Mexico and Canada to raise their thresholds to a comparable amount to the U.S. standard, the lawmakers said.