The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a limited tariff exemption for steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada exported to the U.S. medium and heavy vehicle automotive sector, excluding light vehicles, the Ministry of Economy (SE) reported .

The benefit refers to the reduction of the current tariff level of 50% applied to steel and aluminum, to reach up to 25% at most , depending on production commitments in the United States for qualifying shipments.

“This procedure was pending, and access to these benefits was not possible, which has been repeatedly emphasized in meetings with the United States Department of Commerce,” the SE said in a statement.

The reductions will be subject to the following requirements:

• Comply with the rules of origin of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) .
• Process the melt and pour in the region.
• Being a direct or indirect supplier to the heavy automotive industry in the United States.
• Having a plan with new production commitments in the United States.

The notice from the U.S. government, published yesterday in the Federal Register, implements a provision of the October 2025 proclamation by the northern neighbor’s president, Donald Trump, on tariffs for medium and heavy trucks issued under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which created a pathway for metals used in those supply chains.

In that regard, companies seeking reductions will need to provide details of their production commitments in the United States, including planned locations and expected capacity.

The policy could impact major automakers with a strong presence in North America, such as General Motors , Ford Motor Company and Stellantis , as well as their supplier network, which depends on integrated flows of steel and aluminum in the region.

The announcement comes after the visit of Jamieson Greer,  United States Trade Representative (USTR) , to Mexico, as part of the second round of review of USMCA trade issues with Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Mexican Ministry of Economy. The agenda for April 20 included a meeting between Mexican and US officials and representatives of the automotive industry, who discussed Section 232  (steel, aluminum, automobiles and auto parts) with Greer, although it was not specified whether they reached any agreement.

The heavy vehicle industry is one of the key sectors of the USMCA. In the period from January to March 2026, 23,550 units were exported , representing a 30.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. The United States was the main destination for exports, accounting for 92% of the total, or 21,661 vehicles , according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) .

The United States continues to position itself as the main buyer of heavy vehicles manufactured in Mexico, although Trump has expressed his disagreement on several occasions.

Despite this, the sector continues to be affected by the prevailing uncertainty surrounding the review of the USMCA , which does not send very positive signals for Mexico, since it is unlikely that the United States will completely eliminate the tariffs it maintains on the automotive industry, as well as on steel and aluminum, as Ebrard pointed out in his assessment of Greer’s visit to Mexican territory.

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The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a limited tariff exemption for steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada exported to the U.S. medium and heavy vehicle automotive sector, excluding light vehicles, the Ministry of Economy (SE) reported .

The benefit refers to the reduction of the current tariff level of 50% applied to steel and aluminum, to reach up to 25% at most , depending on production commitments in the United States for qualifying shipments.

“This procedure was pending, and access to these benefits was not possible, which has been repeatedly emphasized in meetings with the United States Department of Commerce,” the SE said in a statement.

The reductions will be subject to the following requirements:

• Comply with the rules of origin of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) .
• Process the melt and pour in the region.
• Being a direct or indirect supplier to the heavy automotive industry in the United States.
• Having a plan with new production commitments in the United States.

The notice from the U.S. government, published yesterday in the Federal Register, implements a provision of the October 2025 proclamation by the northern neighbor’s president, Donald Trump, on tariffs for medium and heavy trucks issued under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which created a pathway for metals used in those supply chains.

In that regard, companies seeking reductions will need to provide details of their production commitments in the United States, including planned locations and expected capacity.

The policy could impact major automakers with a strong presence in North America, such as General Motors , Ford Motor Company and Stellantis , as well as their supplier network, which depends on integrated flows of steel and aluminum in the region.

The announcement comes after the visit of Jamieson Greer,  United States Trade Representative (USTR) , to Mexico, as part of the second round of review of USMCA trade issues with Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Mexican Ministry of Economy. The agenda for April 20 included a meeting between Mexican and US officials and representatives of the automotive industry, who discussed Section 232  (steel, aluminum, automobiles and auto parts) with Greer, although it was not specified whether they reached any agreement.

The heavy vehicle industry is one of the key sectors of the USMCA. In the period from January to March 2026, 23,550 units were exported , representing a 30.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. The United States was the main destination for exports, accounting for 92% of the total, or 21,661 vehicles , according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) .

The United States continues to position itself as the main buyer of heavy vehicles manufactured in Mexico, although Trump has expressed his disagreement on several occasions.

Despite this, the sector continues to be affected by the prevailing uncertainty surrounding the review of the USMCA , which does not send very positive signals for Mexico, since it is unlikely that the United States will completely eliminate the tariffs it maintains on the automotive industry, as well as on steel and aluminum, as Ebrard pointed out in his assessment of Greer’s visit to Mexican territory.

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After the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this Friday that nullifies most of the generalized tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, considering that he violated regulations by unilaterally imposing them based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) , Marcelo Ebrard, head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) , pointed out that in the case of Mexico only some of the tariff measures are linked to that legal provision, and therefore asked for prudence.

During the first ordinary session of the Investment Promotion Committee, held in Querétaro, Ebrard said he did not know the terms under which the US court’s decision would be carried out.

“Today, most of our exports don’t have those burdens. I don’t know how the Supreme Court ruling in the United States will end up, which overturns tariffs based on a legal provision related to emergencies and emergency powers. In the case of Mexico, only some of the tariff measures are related to that legal provision; others are not,” he emphasized.

Given this, he assured that Mexico will prevail in the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , “because of the strength of the trade between the two countries.”

Following the ruling, in which the US court concluded that the power to set tariffs is part of the taxing power that the US Constitution assigns exclusively to Congress, Trump announced the imposition of a new global tariff of 10% , to which Ebrard responded that they will first see what measures the United States will take, “so that we can determine how it may affect our country.”

“In any case, I will be visiting the United States next week. Then I will be able to confirm more precisely whether things remain more or less the same or if there are any changes. The reciprocal tariffs are what are currently under scrutiny. They are due to that provision, but we will know very soon; in three or four days I will be able to tell you how it stands, what the regulations were, and how Mexico protected itself from this change in the rules,” he stated.

It is worth remembering that 85% of the products that Mexico exports to the United States do not have tariffs, since they are covered by the USMCA, however, the tariffs on vehicles, steel and aluminum depend on another legal principle, which is Section 232.

Tariffs challenged

According to Adrián González , president of  Global Alliance Solutions LLC , the contested tariffs include those established under the IEEPA, linked to drug trafficking, which have a rate of 25% on most imports from Canada and Mexico, and 10% on most imports from China.

It also covers reciprocal trade deficit tariffs , which is a general tariff of at least 10% on imports from all trading partners, with higher rates for various countries.

The Court’s ruling is limited exclusively to tariffs imposed under IEEPA and does not affect those in effect under other legal authorities , such as Section 232 (steel, aluminum, automobiles and auto parts) and Section 301 (products originating in China). “These regimes remain fully in effect,” González stated.

What would happen to the fees collected?

According to the specialist, operational adjustments and possible reimbursement mechanisms are anticipated , the procedure for which will depend on guidelines issued by the Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) .

“Potential reimbursement exposures have been estimated at more than $175 billion, although the final scope will depend on the procedural treatment adopted,” he explained.

Despite the legal and operational uncertainty surrounding this new measure in the short term, Adrián González stressed that for the time being, no adjustments should be made to tax returns , nor should automatic refunds be assumed, as the court decision does not mandate immediate reimbursements.

“Any recovery of duties will depend on the procedural status of each entry (cleared or not), current protest periods, possible reassessments, formal instructions issued by CBP, and possible additional litigation regarding the retroactive scope of the ruling,” he explained.

This is not the first time an authority has attempted to strike a blow against Donald Trump’s tariffs. In May 2025, the  U.S. Court  of International Trade  (CIT) dealt a potential setback to the reciprocal tariffs, ordering the revocation of the executive orders and permanently prohibiting their implementation. However, following an appeal by Trump, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington issued a preliminary injunction suspending the enforcement of the CIT ruling.

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As Mexico consolidates its role as a key trading partner in North America, a warning is coming from Washington that has the potential to profoundly alter the trucking sector , according to Juan Carlos Baker, CEO of Ansley Consultants  and a professor at the Universidad Panamericana .

This is the formal investigation initiated by the United States Department of Commerce under Section 232 , a legal tool that allows for the imposition of trade measures if certain imports are deemed to threaten the national security of that country, Baker explained in an interview with T21.

“It’s not my interpretation ,” the specialist clarified, adding that this investigation is ongoing and that its focus is on transport vehicles , including heavy vehicles.

“If the U.S. Department of Commerce identifies a risk to the national security of the United States due to the importation of transportation vehicles, tractors, and so on. And that investigation is currently underway. I don’t really know when there will be a result; it’s possible it will come out later this year, maybe sooner,” Baker commented.

Although there’s no definitive date for the results, Baker explained that the precedent is worrying.

“In all the investigations that have been conducted under this concept, they have always concluded that there is a risk. And when there is a risk, they impose tariffs ,” he warned.

The rationale behind this tool is framed within a strategic vision of protection: if massive imports are perceived as a threat to key industries, such as defense, mobility, or medical supplies, the United States can apply tariffs or restrictions without having to go through multilateral bodies.

In this scenario, the consequences for Mexico could be felt immediately , especially for the trucking sector that exports heavy vehicles to the U.S. market.

“If there are indeed tariffs, the immediate effect is that it will make it more expensive to export vehicles to the United States,” Baker said. Although exception mechanisms or alternative routes could be explored, the direct impact on competitiveness is on the table.

But there’s something more worrying than the rising cost of trade: the signal it would send to investors.

“If tariffs are imposed, and especially if they remain in place for a long period, that could discourage investment,” Baker explained.

This way, companies that were considering establishing production plants in Mexico could opt for other destinations, precisely to avoid the risk of paying additional tariffs when entering the U.S. market.

Thus, a policy that seeks to protect U.S. industry could have collateral effects on the process of relocating companies to Mexico (called nearshoring ), which today presents itself as one of the country’s greatest opportunities.

For now, there’s no resolution or certainty about the outcome of the investigation. But Baker urged vigilance. “It’s a real possibility. We can’t assume it won’t happen.”

Baker’s warning is supported by official documents. The U.S. Department of Commerce confirmed, via the Federal Register of April 25, 2025 , that it has initiated a Section 232 investigation to assess whether imports of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and their components pose a risk to its national security.

This measure, which has already been applied in strategic sectors such as steel and pharmaceuticals, opens the possibility of imposing tariffs without having to resort to the World Trade Organization .

According to the Monthly Statistical Report of the Heavy Vehicle Automotive Industry in Mexico. Figures as of May 2025 from the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor-Trailer Producers (ANPACT) , Mexico exported 52,924 heavy vehicles to the United States between January and May 2025, representing a 13.4% drop compared to the 61,127 units shipped during the same period in 2024.

In May alone, exports totaled 12,152 units, a 23.3% increase compared to the 9,854 units sold in the same month last year.

Furthermore, according to the Administrative Registry of the Heavy Vehicle Automotive Industry (RAIAVP) published by the  National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) , the annual total exported from Mexico in 2023 was 177,539 units, while in 2024 it fell to 159,466, a 10.2% annual drop.

Although the process is still ongoing and its outcome is uncertain , the sector cannot afford to look the other way. The warning has been given and the precedent is clear. Now it’s up to Mexico and the sector to be ready to react.

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