The National Council of the Export Manufacturing Industry (Index) strengthened ties with its US counterparts through meetings in Washington, DC, where the importance of bilateral trade and the export manufacturing industry was highlighted , in anticipation of the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to be held this year.

In the working sessions, which took place over four days, the Index delegation presented a short, medium and long term strategy for the export manufacturing sector and its contribution to integration between Mexico and the United States .

The National Index Council expressed its willingness to collaborate constructively with the Mexican and U.S. governments to strengthen oversight of the Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industry Program (IMMEX) . It also expressed its willingness to address any legal gaps and jointly develop solutions to improve the competitiveness and security of the North American supply chain .

Humberto Martínez, national president of Index, highlighted that these meetings left clear messages that underscore the role of the industry in regional and global trade, advancing the rapprochement with their US counterparts, key to strengthening confidence, attracting investments, generating employment and boosting the competitiveness of companies in the export sector of both countries.

Mexican and northern neighbor industries are deeply integrated, generating efficiency, competitiveness, and millions of jobs.

“Mexican exports to the United States contain more U.S. components than exports from any other trading partner, which promotes employment in the U.S. manufacturing industry,” the Index highlighted in a statement.

Regarding trade relations with Asia, any decoupling must be coordinated at the regional level, as the only way the United States can continue to reduce its trade deficit with China is through greater integration within North America. In this respect, Index member companies are a key lever for replacing Asian inputs with regional suppliers .

Index also strengthened its presence with interventions from Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States; Luis Rosendo Gutiérrez, Undersecretary of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Economy ; and Ernesto Acevedo, head of the Economic Office in Washington.

In addition to Humberto Martínez; Felipe Villarreal, president of Index Nuevo León; René Espinosa, president of Index Chihuahua; Salvador Maese, president of Index Mexicali; Sergio Gómez Lora, CEO of Index USA; Jael Durán, general director of Index Nacional; Israel Morales, director of the Mexico-USA Committee, and Javier Ortiz, director of the Foreign Trade Committee, among others, were part of the Mexican delegation of the National Index Council.

On the US side were officials from the Department of Labor, the Department of Commerce, as well as representatives from companies such as Caterpillar, Cummins, Business Roundtable, Medline, and others.

Mexico’s manufacturing industry faces challenges, although it has remained resilient in the face of a volatile economic environment.

In November 2025 alone, IMMEX establishments closed with a contraction in employment (0.2%) and hours worked (0.9%) on a monthly basis, reflecting a gradual adjustment in the export sector. However, average real wages maintained a positive trajectory, with a slight monthly increase of 0.1% and an annual rise of 3.7%.

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The Ministry of Economy (SE) published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the imposition of definitive compensatory quotas on footwear imports originating in China, following an investigation in which it was determined that said merchandise entered Mexico under dumping conditions , that is, unfair trade, which affected the national footwear industry.

“Consequently, in order to provide fair competition conditions and defend the interests of the national production plant, definitive compensatory quotas of between $0.54 and $22.50 per pair will be established on imports originating in China that enter below the reference price of $22.58 per pair. These quotas will be in effect for the next five years and may eventually be extended,” the SE reported in a statement.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance recalled that the antidumping investigation began on April 26, 2024, and the final resolution was based on information provided by importers, exporters, domestic producers, chambers of commerce, and an association.

“It was concluded that footwear imports from China entered Mexico during the investigation period under dumping conditions and caused harm to the domestic industry,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.

According to the resolution published in the DOF, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs analyzed information from various sources considered reliable and trustworthy, which constitutes sufficient evidence to determine alleged price discrimination that is impacting the economic and financial indicators of domestic footwear producers.

According to the DOF, “importers who, pursuant to this resolution, are required to pay the final compensatory duties will not be obligated to pay them if they prove that the country of origin of the merchandise is other than China.”

The document indicated that the products investigated included boots with synthetic uppers and soles; basic, formal, and dress sandals with synthetic uppers and soles; athletic sneakers with synthetic uppers and soles; athletic sneakers with textile uppers and synthetic soles; casual footwear with textile uppers and synthetic soles; and basic, formal, and dress sandals with textile uppers and synthetic soles.

The resolution will take effect the day after its publication in the DOF, that is, on September 4, 2025, the DOF clarified.

At a press conference, Juan Carlos Cashat, president of the Guanajuato State Chamber of the Footwear Industry (CICEG) , considered the resolution of the Ministry of Economy a great achievement, and said that they will work with the authorities to protect the Mexican footwear industry, which requires a comprehensive solution . He explained that 185 million pairs of footwear entered the country, of which around 40 million pairs did so under the IMMEX (Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Service Industry) program .

He specified that measures are being taken to protect the textile and footwear industries by reducing, “virtually preventing, the temporary importation of finished products.”

For his part, Alejandro Malagón Barragán, president of the  Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) , noted that in this fight for national footwear, customs will play an important role, and will therefore be a “very strong link . “

“Today, customs are doing very important work; during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s term alone, customs have earned 28% more revenue thanks to the clean work being done.”

He concluded that in the case of some sensitive sectors, such as footwear, textiles, and clothing, “and others will be introduced later, it is important that this new Customs Law initiative remove these sectors from fiscal areas.”

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The National Chamber of the Rubber Industry (CNIH) welcomed a decree promoted by the Mexican government prohibiting the temporary importation of used tires.

“We enthusiastically welcome the provision banning the temporary importation of used tires, a measure promoted by our sector and representing a firm step toward a more sustainable and competitive industry,” the trade organization emphasized.

The CNIH emphasized that this decree directly addresses environmental and unfair competition concerns in the sector.

“It demonstrates that the efforts we have promoted at the CNIH in matters of sustainability and regulation are having an impact on federal agencies, which we recognize and value,” he stated in a statement.

The agency noted that for years, this industry has been affected by a “harmful practice” in which various importers brought used tires into Mexico under the pretext that they would be refurbished and subsequently exported, but in reality, they were sold directly without meeting minimum safety or quality standards.

“These tires are colloquially known as ‘gallitos,’ and their sale has represented a form of unfair competition that has harmed both the formal tire retrieval sector and the end consumer, by putting used tires on the road, putting them at risk to the lives of citizens,” the CNIH explained.

Furthermore, he reiterated his commitment to strengthening a sustainable, responsible rubber industry aligned with the highest international standards , as well as his willingness to continue collaborating with the Mexican government in the design of public policies that promote the sector’s development.

On August 28, the  Decree amending the Decree for the Promotion of the Manufacturing, Maquiladora, and Export Services Industry (IMMEX) was published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) .

According to the document, the decree seeks to regulate foreign trade, Mexico’s economy, and the stability of national production for the benefit of the country.

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