The Ministry of Economy (SE) and the Confederation of Associations of Customs Agents of the Mexican Republic (CAAAREM) presented this Monday the IMPULSAA Mexico initiative , a national project that seeks to professionalize, innovate and modernize the customs system, as well as strengthen the country’s logistical competitiveness at a key moment for foreign trade.
The program, developed in conjunction with the General Directorate of Innovation, Services and Domestic Trade, proposes a work agenda based on regulatory improvement, operational efficiency and technological transformation , with the objective of consolidating a national logistics innovation network that boosts the economy and reinforces the strategic role of the customs agent.
IMPULSAA Mexico is structured around five pillars:
- Impulsa Capacita: Will create a national logistics training program for customs agents and the supply chain.
- Promotes Alliances: Will establish a national network between CAAAREM, the Ministry of Economy and allied organizations.
- Promotes Rules: Will implement a manual of good practices to increase competitiveness in all ports, crossings and premises where customs agents operate.
- Boosts Efficiency: Will develop technological and data analysis tools to optimize operations and provide greater certainty.
- Impulsa México: It will promote a sustainable and inclusive agenda that strengthens foreign trade from an integrity approach.
Ignacio Aguado, Director General of Innovation, Services and Domestic Trade at the SE, highlighted that logistics is “the most complete economic activity”, present in all modes of transport and in all states of the country.
“You drive Mexico forward, and thanks to you we have a strong and solid economy. Today we are the 12th largest economy in the world; six years ago we were 16th, and that is the result of every link in the logistics chain,” he stated.
Aguado pointed out that the instruction from the head of the SE, Marcelo Ebrard, is to strengthen the relationship with the chambers and associations of the sector, not just from a photo op, but with “a real synergy” to face global challenges and improve internal competitiveness.
“This project aims to highlight the importance of logistics and bring us together. Every link in the chain matters: carriers, freight forwarders, importers, exporters, shipping companies, and, of course, customs brokers,” he said.
For his part, Ignacio Zaragoza, president of CAAAREM, indicated that the launch of IMPULSAA Mexico represents a turning point in the professionalization of the industry.
“We are the first line of defense in the country’s customs and we have the technical and operational capacity to guarantee that goods entering and leaving the territory do so in accordance with the law,” he said.
Zaragoza stressed that, given the country’s growth as an exporting power, the role of the customs agent must evolve towards a more technical, ethical profile committed to compliance .
“Compliance has ceased to be a requirement and has become a strategic value that strengthens the confidence of the authorities, companies and investors,” he stated, highlighting the updated code of ethics and the new training programs.
Claudia Ávila, Director General of Customs Attention and International Affairs at the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , emphasized that Mexico is experiencing “a geoeconomic turning point” , where the relocation of supply chains and the record-breaking foreign trade demand more modern, transparent and reliable customs.
“A country’s foreign trade is worth exactly what its customs are worth. And its customs are worth exactly what the integrity of those who operate at the border crossings and facilities is worth,” he stated.
Ávila noted that Mexican customs processes more than 60,000 operations daily , and that traceability, digitalization, and trust will be the elements that define competitiveness in this new era.
“The relationship between customs authorities and customs agents cannot be transactional; it must be transformational. Mexico needs capable, ethical, professional, and visionary agents,” he said.
Both the federal government and the customs industry agreed that IMPULSAA Mexico is not just a program, but a declaration of intent that Mexico wants to compete better, operate better, and be better .
With an economy strengthened by foreign trade, sustained growth in foreign investment, and a global environment that rewards trust, the country is committed to raising the standards of its customs system as a key element of its economic future.
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