Regulating Corruption Through Free Trade Agreements: An Analysis of the NAFTA 2.0 Anti-corruption Provisions

The recently unveiled United States, Mexico and Canada free trade agreement (USMCA) has generated considerable interest in academic and policymaking circles owing to a troubled negotiating history. In many respects, the conclusion of the agreement provides a welcome reprieve for the most dedicated followers of its negotiation. Far from harming trade relations between the North American neighbours, the agreement in its current form is likely to inspire new opportunities for cooperation in a number of areas. One area of increased cooperation is Anti-corruption where the agreement codifies a number of measures that are of potential benefit to its signatories. This article examines the USMCA anti-corruption provisions and connects it to an emergent trend of anti-corruption regulation through free trade agreements (FTAs)