The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Mexico and Canada looks like a distant dream.

There are gaping differences on a host of issues, including intellectual property, agricultural access, labor and energy.

The US continues to work toward the best possible deal for American farmers, ranchers, workers, and businesses. The deadlock has risen over US demands to raise wages in the auto sector and boost the North American content of cars made in the three Nafta nations.

The move is a clear swipe at Mexico, which the US says added low-wage manufacturing jobs at Americans’ expense after Nafta was signed in 1994.

On the other hand Mexico says any renegotiated Nafta that implies losses of existing Mexican jobs is unacceptable.

In 1994, the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect, creating one of the world’s largest free trade zones and laying the foundations for strong economic growth and rising prosperity for Canada, the United States, and Mexico. It aims at demonstrating how free trade increases wealth and competitiveness, delivering real benefits to families, farmers, workers, manufacturers, and consumers. It has set a valuable example of the benefits of trade liberalization for the rest of the world.