CSIS publishes an analysis on the “USMCA Review 2026” that focuses on when the review may formally begin and the range of outcomes it could produce. For connectivity professionals and roaming/network stakeholders, changes to cross-border rules can affect how enterprises plan data-handling, digital services delivery, and cross-border operational continuity across North America.
The analysis states that the three governments are expected to officially launch the USMCA review on July 1, 2026, after internal consultations and bilateral and trilateral groundwork. It then frames six possible pathways, with one section centered on “Digital Trade”.
On digital trade, the report discusses likely pressure from Mexico and Canada for the United States to clarify its stance on cross-border data flows, source code protections, and digital services market access. It argues that the USMCA digital trade provisions (Chapter 19) were negotiated as “cutting-edge” but may no longer fit a fast-paced, data-driven economy, “particularly with the rise of AI,” and therefore may require an updated framework.
The report also describes other pathways in broader terms, including scenarios involving agriculture and serial annual reviews. It does not list specific event formats like workshops or panels, but it is a policy-relevant document for operators and enterprise connectivity buyers monitoring how regulatory modernization could influence digital trade rules in the region.