Trade Agreements Secretariat

The Trade Agreements Secretariat is responsible for the fair and impartial administration of dispute settlement actions under 14 U.S. Free Trade Agreements.

The Trade Agreements Secretariat (TAS) is responsible for the fair and impartial administration of dispute settlement actions under 14 U.S. Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). TAS works closely with counterparts in 20 FTA partner countries to ensure that the United States and its exporters are treated fairly and in accordance with agreed upon FTA commitments.

FTA Partners
Australia	Bahrain	Canada	Chile
Colombia	Costa Rica	Dominican Republic	El Salvador
Guatemala	Honduras	Israel	Jordan
Mexico	Morocco	Nicaragua	Oman
Panama	Peru	Singapore	South Korea

In instances where other countries may not be abiding by their FTA obligations, TAS performs a valuable compliance function to complement FTA enforcement actions and level the playing field for U.S. companies. There are currently 14 NAFTA and USMCA disputes involving 27 U.S. companies and 5 Trade Associations, over 5.1 million U.S. workers, and more than $241 billion in subject merchandise.

TAS Electronic Filing (e-filing) System:

The TAS electronic filing (e-filing) system is a new secure online system for administering disputes under Chapters 10 and 31 of USMCA.

Key Features of the E-filing System

Document Filing, Docketing, and Storage: Interested parties are able to file dispute documents electronically through the online system. The TAS e-filing system also logically organizes filings for easy access and serves as a central repository for all documents related to a dispute.
Account Creation: All users participating in and providing materials for proceedings are able to create secure accounts and file documents electronically. In addition, members of the public can create an account to view and download public documents associated with USMCA disputes.
Online Public Reading Room: All users within the TAS e-filing system, including the public, will be able to view public versions of dispute filings, timelines and service lists.

To access the TAS e-filing system, please visit tasefiling.gov

Recent FTA Dispute Settlement News and Announcements:

The Panel’s Final Report in the Automotive Rules of Origin dispute (USA-MEX-2022-31-01) was released by the Parties on January 11, 2023. The report can be publicly accessed on the TAS E-filing System.