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Standards Case Study: Mexico Tequila

Mexico- Draft Standard on Tequila

In 2003, the Mexican Government developed a draft standard that would have required the bottling of tequila at the source, effectively banning bulk exports of tequila to the United States. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) generally prohibits parties from adopting export restrictions for goods destined to another NAFTA country. Following over two years of negotiation, the United States and Mexico signed an agreement that maintains the existing free trade in bulk tequila to the United States. Imports of tequila shipped in bulk and bottled in the United States represent about $560 million in gross revenues for U.S. industry.

Standards-Related Trade Barriers: ITA Action

Standards can facilitate or impede international trade. ITA works to resolve standards-related trade issues every day. The following examples detail situations where ITA action contributed toward the resolution of a standards-related trade issue.

Standardization Facilitates Trade
 
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