The International Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (ICC Mexico) warned that the next review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , scheduled for July 2026, will take place in an environment full of risks, which, if they materialize, could compromise the country’s economic future and the stability of the region.
The organization detailed that among these risks, according to a specialized technical analysis by 17 commissions and working groups of ICC Mexico, are: customs reforms that could raise costs; possible protectionist tensions in the United States; regulatory uncertainty in strategic sectors; pressures regarding automotive rules of origin; and concerns about legal stability , especially derived from changes in the judiciary and in the mechanisms for resolving disputes between states and investors.
In response, ICC Mexico recently presented the Ministry of Economy with a comprehensive proposal for adjustments and improvements to the treaty, with the aim of strengthening legal certainty, trade facilitation, and the ability to attract investment in an increasingly challenging global context.
He also made an urgent appeal to the Mexican government to address two strategic risks, which were included in the document “Contributions and vision of ICC Mexico within the framework of the USMCA review” .
In that regard, the organization indicated that the possible modification to the sunset clause would imply that the treaty could automatically expire without transition periods , generating an impact on supply chains, investments and jobs in the three countries.
“Modifying that clause could unleash an environment of uncertainty incompatible with the dynamics of an integrated economy valued at almost two trillion dollars annually,” he stressed.
The other risk is the threat to digital trade established in Article 19 of the USMCA, an area that currently underpins North American technological integration.
The business organization announced that it will join forces with ICC Canada and ICC USA to make the voice of the productive sector heard in the process, promote the extension of the trilateral agreement and strengthen the resilience of production chains in the face of China, Asia and Europe.
He noted that the business perspective identified concerns, warnings of potential adverse changes, and concrete proposals to improve the USMCA, among which the following stand out:
Customs and trade facilitation: Risks of overregulation and duplication of controls that increase costs and delay operations, therefore it recommended strengthening the Single Window for Foreign Trade and avoiding unilateral changes without implementation periods.
Economic competition: There is concern about the lack of clarity in anti-competitive practices and the need to strengthen the technical autonomy of regulatory authorities, which led to the proposal to harmonize trilateral criteria, reinforce investigation standards and allow competition cases to access effective dispute resolution mechanisms.
Digital economy and data protection: It is essential to preserve the free cross-border flow of data, prevent discriminatory taxes on digital platforms and ensure common cybersecurity frameworks.
ICC Mexico stressed that the country must negotiate from a strategic perspective and with coordinated policies between government, private sector and congress, to avoid conditions that limit future economic growth.
Among the cross-cutting proposals, he highlighted a trilateral framework for regional development and sustainable financing; legal certainty and respect for the rule of law as an explicit principle in the treaty; updating the digital chapter with data protection standards and artificial intelligence; and promoting investment in automotive, semiconductor, clean energy and nearshoring , among others.
The challenges identified by the agency occur in a context where, on November 19, the decree reforming, adding to, and repealing various provisions of the Customs Law was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). These changes aim to modernize processes, strengthen oversight, and close loopholes for smuggling and evasion at Mexican customs. However, the reform has been criticized because it expands the verification duties of customs agents, makes them jointly responsible for the veracity of information, and toughens the grounds for canceling licenses, among other measures.
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