The tariff package, recently approved by the Congress of the Union and sent by the federal government, seeks to protect strategic industrial sectors of Mexico , such as textiles and clothing, automotive and steel, among others, as well as safeguard 350,000 jobs in the country, announced Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) .

At Monday’s morning press conference, the federal official emphasized that the goal is not to charge more to countries with which Mexico does not have a trade agreement, but to establish a “level playing field ,” since these industries “are receiving products at prices below international reference prices.”

“With a level playing field, applying a tariff wouldn’t be justified, but when the playing field is uneven, you have to correct, remedy that disadvantage or that injustice. So, in steel, in just the last year, let’s say the last two years, it has grown 12.4%, that’s the growth rate of imports; 20.8% in clothing, including digital platforms, and 22.3% in footwear. If this continues, by the end of 2026, along with the automotive industry, we would be losing 350,000 jobs,” he emphasized.

He ruled out that the measure applies to only one country, that is, it does not have a “geopolitical design”, and recalled that the automotive industry represents a third of the total jobs generated in manufacturing in Mexico , so “it is very important to take measures in time”.

“Our trade balance with the countries from which we are importing the most is 10 to 1. That is, we export 1 and import 9. This in itself is something that should concern us and make us try to ensure that the imbalance is not so great, but it also shows how the trend is going,” he explained.

In that regard, he warned about a trade imbalance with 10 Asian countries: Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and China.

At the event, he explained that the tariff package was developed by selecting the country’s strategic industrial sectors and identifying 1,463 tariff classifications. Following discussions with industry associations and federal authorities, and after modifications, particularly in industries like auto parts, the package was approved.

Ebrard explained that the 350,000 jobs they are trying to protect are located mainly in Aguascalientes, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, the State of Mexico, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Puebla, and Querétaro.

“If we don’t take action now, then in a year the question will be, how are we going to create those 350,000 jobs? We will have already lost them,” he emphasized.

It is worth remembering that organizations such as the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) , the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero)  , and the National Chamber of the Textile Industry (Canaintex) supported the approval of the reforms to various tariff classifications of the General Import and Export Tax Law (LIGIE) , which seeks to increase tariffs of up to 50% on goods imported from several countries that do not have a trade agreement with Mexico, as well as strengthen the regulatory framework of foreign trade .

Investments are progressing in Economic Development Hubs for Well-being

Marcelo Ebrard also presented progress on the Economic Development Poles for Well-being in Mexico, noting that the largest investments have been made in the automotive sector in Durango, Tlaxcala, Puebla, and Michoacán.

In logistics , investments are concentrated in Celaya, Bajío Logistics Gateway; Tlaxcala, Distribution and Marketing Center; Hidalgo, Distribution and Logistics Services; Michoacán, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) , which is a railway integration system.

“And other relevant projects include energy, steel, manufacturing, and the digital economy. These are the projects we have already confirmed,” he added.

He also highlighted investments in Hidalgo for the pharmaceutical sector; Puebla in the agri-food industry; and Campeche with the industrialization of fruits.

Of the 15 planned hubs, six are already under construction and the rest are expected to start in the second quarter of 2026.

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The Chamber of Deputies approved in general the ruling that reforms various tariff sections of the General Import and Export Tax Law (LIGIE) , an initiative promoted by the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, to adjust the country’s tariff policy and strengthen strategic sectors of Mexican manufacturing.

The project received 281 votes in favor , 149 abstentions and 24 against , advancing towards its discussion in particular.

According to the opinion prepared by the Commission on Economy, Commerce and Competitiveness , based on consultations with more than 40 business chambers, associations and companies, the reform contemplates modifications to 1,463 tariff classifications that cover industries such as auto parts, light vehicles, textiles, footwear, household appliances, plastics, steel, aluminum, furniture, paper and cardboard, toys, glass and motorcycles, among other sectors.

However, the approved ruling modified approximately 60% of the original initiative . For example, inputs for lipsticks saw their tariff reduced from 50% to 36%, and some textile products also experienced reductions to 36%. In contrast, tariffs on cars and auto parts remained at 50% .

The initiative proposes that tariffs cease to serve solely as a revenue-generating tool and become an instrument of industrial policy. The aim is to boost domestic production , encourage import substitution, and promote supply chains with greater regional content , in line with the 2025-2030 National Development Plan and the Plan México strategy.

According to the report, the massive influx of goods from countries without trade agreements with Mexico, primarily China, South Korea, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, and Taiwan , has put pressure on local competitiveness. The tariff lines subject to adjustment represent 8.3% of total imports in 2024 .

The Center for Public Finance Studies (CEFP) estimated that the changes could translate into productive benefits , greater use of installed capacity (currently at 81.2% in manufacturing) and a boost to import substitution , although it warned that it is not possible to accurately calculate the revenue impact due to a lack of updated data on volumes and elasticities.

The CEFP also concluded that the inflationary effect would be “limited,” given that the affected goods have a low weight in the National Consumer Price Index (INPC) and there is the possibility of substituting imports from countries with trade agreements. Even in the most extreme scenario—which is unlikely—the impact would be close to 0.30 percentage points.

For three months, the Commission held working sessions with chambers of commerce and companies from the affected sectors, as well as a permanent technical working group with the Ministry of Economy . As a result, the ruling incorporates modifications to the original proposal , reducing some of the tariffs initially proposed for cosmetics, plastics, soaps, footwear, textiles, and other goods, in order to balance industrial protection with competitiveness and production transition times.

The document states that this process strengthened certainty for supply chains and allows progress towards a more robust industrial model, with greater national content and better regional integration.

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