USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
Chapter 19 (Digital Trade) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in force since 1 July 2020: commitments by the three governments not to impose customs duties on electronically transmitted digital products, not to restrict cross-border data transfers or require local computing facilities, not to demand source code as a market access condition, and to protect interactive computer services from liability for third-party content; plus duties to keep e-transaction, e-signature, consumer protection, privacy and anti-spam laws, and best-endeavour cooperation on cybersecurity and open data. It binds governments, not companies; its 2026 joint review ended without extension, triggering annual reviews.
USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) is a compliance framework from United States; Mexico; Canada with 6 domains and 16 controls that map to 194 other frameworks. The largest domains are Internet principles, cybersecurity, cooperation and open data – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (4 controls), Consumer and personal information protection – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (3 controls), Data flows, computing location and source code – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (3 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.
Framework summaries on this platform are interpretations grounded in the published source, for educational and compliance planning purposes. They do not reproduce or replace the official standards. Refer to the authoritative source for the definitive text. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective organisations.
Framework Domains (6)
Consumer and personal information protection – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.13 | Maintain anti-spam measures: opt-out or consent rules, recourse against non-compliant senders |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.7 | Maintain consumer protection laws against fraudulent and deceptive online commercial practices |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.8 | Maintain a legal framework protecting personal information of digital trade users, guided by APEC and OECD principles |
Data flows, computing location and source code – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.11 | Do not prohibit or restrict cross-border data transfers for a covered person's business, except necessary and proportionate public policy measures |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.12 | Do not require use or location of computing facilities in a Party's territory as a condition of doing business |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.16 | Do not require transfer of or access to source code or algorithms as a condition of market access |
Digital products and market access – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.3 | No customs duties on electronically transmitted digital products between the Parties |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.4 | Non-discriminatory treatment of digital products of another Party |
Electronic transactions and trade documents – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.5 | Maintain an electronic transactions law consistent with the UNCITRAL Model Law (1996) |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.6 | Do not deny legal validity to electronic signatures; let parties choose authentication methods |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.9 | Accept electronic trade administration documents as equivalent to paper (best endeavour) |
Interactive computer services – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.17 | Do not treat interactive computer service providers or users as content providers for third-party content; protect good-faith moderation |
Internet principles, cybersecurity, cooperation and open data – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.10 | Principles on consumers' access to and use of the Internet |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.14 | Cooperate on digital trade policy, privacy interoperability and SME and accessibility issues (best endeavour) |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.15 | Build cybersecurity incident response capacity and encourage risk-based, standards-based cybersecurity (best endeavour) |
| usmca-chapter-19-digital-trade-united-states-mexico-canada-agreement::Art. 19.18 | Publish government data in open, machine-readable formats where made public (best endeavour) |
Your Compliance Coverage
If you comply with USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), you already cover:
Vermont Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act
8%
3 controls mapped
Compare →FedRAMP Rev 5
8%
3 controls mapped
Compare →IATF 16949:2016 - Quality Management System for Automotive Production
8%
3 controls mapped
Compare →+ 191 more: TISAX - Trusted Information Security Assessment Exchange (8%), SASB Standards (8%)
See all 194 mapped frameworks ↓Maps to 194 other frameworks
Coverage is not the same as your position
This page shows what USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.
The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business daysWhat is USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) and who does it apply to?
USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) is a compliance framework from United States; Mexico; Canada with 6 domains and 16 controls. Chapter 19 (Digital Trade) of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in force since 1 July 2020: commitments by the three governments not to impose customs duties on electronically transmitted digital products, not to restrict cross-border data transfers or require local computing facilities, not to demand source code as a market access condition, and to protect interactive computer services from liability for third-party content; plus duties to keep e-transaction, e-signature, consumer protection, privacy and anti-spam laws, and best-endeavour cooperation on cybersecurity and open data. It binds governments, not companies; its 2026 joint review ended without extension, triggering annual reviews. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
What does USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) actually require?
USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) has 16 controls organised across 6 domains. The largest domains are Internet principles, cybersecurity, cooperation and open data – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (4 controls), Consumer and personal information protection – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (3 controls), Data flows, computing location and source code – USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) (3 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.
If I already comply with another framework, how much of USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) do I already cover?
USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) maps to 194 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are Vermont Data Privacy and Online Surveillance Act (8% coverage), FedRAMP Rev 5 (8% coverage), IATF 16949:2016 - Quality Management System for Automotive Production (8% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.
How do I implement USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement)?
Start your USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about USMCA Chapter 19 - Digital Trade (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 16 controls and track your progress.
Start Your Compliance Journey
Create a free account to run self-assessments, get AI advisory, and track your compliance progress across 1,121 frameworks.
Get Started Free →Free forever, no credit card required