BIO Statement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

Washington, D.C. (October 4, 2018) – Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) President & CEO James C. Greenwood today issued the following statement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA):

“BIO supports the USMCA and appreciates the Administration’s efforts to prioritize biotechnology innovation, including provisions that update intellectual property protections and agricultural market access to 21st century standards.

“Strong and dependable intellectual property standards are critical to fueling innovation, attracting investment, and ensuring that patients, farmers, and consumers around the globe have access to the next generation of biotechnology breakthroughs. The USMCA represents an important step in bringing Mexico and Canada closer to high U.S. standards that have made us the world leader in biotechnology innovation.

“The U.S., Mexico and Canada also have a long history of cooperation in the area of agricultural biotechnology, the USMCA builds on this by advancing provisions to facilitate trade and ensure cooperation on future innovation in biotechnology.

“Thanks to the Administration’s leadership, the U.S. and our neighboring countries will continue to drive global innovation, ingenuity and ground-breaking science.

“The USMCA sets important new standards for U.S. trade policy by ensuring trading partners establish policies that protect, respect, and advance the hard work and investment needed to bring new biotechnology innovations from the lab to the marketplace.”