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 50% increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by the United States government has begun to generate uncertainty among logistics operators, especially those linked to the movement of materials for heavy industry, according to Ángel Hernández Gaytán , general director of Super Transporte Internacional (STI) .

“We have been affected, especially in the case of steel. We move a lot of raw materials, such as coils and profiles that are exported from Mexico to the United States, and we have noticed a decrease in movements at plants that handle large export volumes, mainly due to the high 50% tariff,” Hernández explained.

The impact also affects aluminum , whose application is transversal to various industries. “So many goods aren’t made with aluminum, always soda cans, beer cans; nowadays, there’s a high tariff on everything,” he added.

Hernández also noted that the trucking industry expects a prompt solution from the Mexican government and recalled statements by “Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of the Economy, that there was a discussion and a dialogue with the American authorities to reduce the impact of the 50% tariff.”

According to the Ministry of Economy (SE) , in 2024 the total commercial exchange of iron or steel articles reached 20 thousand 694 million dollars (mdd) , with exports for nine thousand 797 million dollars and imports for 10 thousand 897 million dollars .

The United States remained the main destination for these Mexican exports, with $7.763 billion , followed by Canada and Saudi Arabia. Nationally, Nuevo León, Veracruz, Coahuila, and Tamaulipas were the states with the highest international sales of these products.

Hernández also acknowledged that the measure has had consequences for the sector:

“Yes, there is an impact. Although we’ve already said it, there’s an imbalance in Mexico, right? The trade balance is in favor of the United States over Mexico. But even so, exports continue to have a significant impact, speaking of our trucking sector and transporters located at strategic border points,” he noted.

The most immediate consequence, according to the executive, is uncertainty in decision-making. “It hasn’t allowed them to develop long-term plans. Today, those plans are changing every 20 or 30 days based on new news and what’s coming.”

Ángel Hernández believed that uncertainty will persist as long as the groundwork for renegotiation is not clearly defined. “Until the basics and a direction are established, that’s when we’ll have the certainty the entire market needs.”

The tariff increase was officially announced by the United States government on June 4, when it doubled the tax on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% .

The measure, promoted by the Donald Trump administration , is intended to strengthen domestic production of these inputs, although it has been described as “unfair” and without legal basis by Mexican authorities.

In response, the Mexican government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has held meetings with U.S. officials seeking a solution that would reduce the bilateral impact.

Meanwhile, industry organizations such as the National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero) and the National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum) have warned of the risks to cross-border trade and the supply chain, especially in strategic sectors such as trucking.

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Marcelo Ebrard , head of the Ministry of Economy (SE) , held a meeting with Jamieson Greer , United States Trade Representative, in which, the Mexican official noted, there was progress on the issue of tariffs on steel and aluminum, although he did not reveal what these are.

Through his account on the social network X, Ebrard published that he had a “cordial conversation” with the US official.

Ebrard also met with Howard Lutnick , U.S. Secretary of Commerce, to present his case for Mexico’s exclusion from the aforementioned taxes.

On the same social network, the Mexican official posted: “We are moving toward solutions for our two great nations,” although he did not specify what those solutions were.

It’s worth remembering that Ebrard had announced he would hold meetings with his counterparts in the United States to make progress on the issue of steel and aluminum tariffs, which the president of our northern neighbor, Donald Trump , increased from 25% to 50% on June 4.

The new measure, according to the US president, is intended to strengthen the US industry producing these inputs.

The new tariff will apply to goods imported for consumption determined by the crossing date, or goods imported into free trade zones as of the aforementioned date.

Mexico has sought to reach an agreement on steel and aluminum tariffs through dialogue and negotiation, and a team led by Marcelo Ebrard has held meetings with U.S. trade representatives.

In response to the 50% increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum, Mexican President  Claudia Sheinbaum called the measure “unfair” and unfounded by law. She announced that if she doesn’t reach an agreement with the United States government, some actions her administration will take on the issue will be announced next week.

Meanwhile, the  National Chamber of the Iron and Steel Industry (Canacero)  rejected the Trump administration’s decision and emphasized that the United States maintains a bilateral steel trade surplus with Mexico of  four billion dollars  in finished products, which will increase in 2025 due to the decline in Mexican exports.

The agency emphasized that Mexican steel does not pose a threat to the U.S. market; “on the contrary, we are complementary, and our country is completely open to U.S. exports.”

For its part, the National Chamber of the Aluminum Industry (Canalum) supported the Mexican government’s efforts in bilateral negotiations with its northern neighbor, and described the measure imposed by Trump as “unilateral, unjustified, and detrimental to both economies.”

In a statement, the agency considered that this decision represents “a direct threat to a strategic productive sector that constitutes a pillar of the national industry,” and asserted that Mexico has the capacity to transform aluminum, and therefore called on the federal government to integrate aluminum as a priority sector within Plan Mexico .

*Main photo taken from Marcelo Ebrard’s X account .

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