Mexico must move forward in a coordinated manner in its trade relationship with the United States, diversify its markets, and strengthen its internal institutions to maintain its competitiveness in global supply chains, said Senator Luis Fernando Salazar , secretary of the Committee on International Organizations and the Committee on Foreign Relations, Asia-Pacific.
During his participation in the XXI Annual Convention of the Mexican Institute of Executives in Foreign Trade (IMECE) , Salazar presented a legislative agenda for Mexico’s competitiveness, based on what he called the “three clocks” that mark the country’s course: Washington, the rest of the world, and the national environment.
The first concerns the trade relationship with the United States and the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ; the second concerns trade diversification opportunities with Europe, the United Kingdom and Asia-Pacific; while the third comprises internal conditions related to customs, procedures, investment rules and legal certainty.
“The real challenge arises when these three clocks move at different paces. It’s no use having the world open its doors to us if, here inside, in our institutions, we don’t move at the same speed, or if our companies encounter obstacles in realizing or taking advantage of their opportunities,” he noted.
USMCA and trade diversification
Regarding the review of the USMCA, Salazar maintained that the trade agreement remains in force and that its tariff preferences and rules of origin remain in operation, although it now faces an annual review scheme that may extend until 2036.
Among the topics on the table, he mentioned automotive rules of origin, steel and aluminum, agriculture, labor issues, and the substitution of imports from Asia.
As a reference to the importance of the treaty, he indicated that more than eight out of every 10 Mexican exports to the United States enter without paying tariffs, by complying with the provisions of the agreement.
In this context, he stated that the Senate has three responsibilities: to monitor the negotiations led by the federal Executive, to harmonize national legislation with international commitments in a timely manner, and to maintain a dialogue with the companies that operate foreign trade on a daily basis.
“Today, the best defense for a Mexican exporter is not a speech, it’s a certificate of origin. And you build that compliance every day,” he said.
The legislator also emphasized the importance of expanding Mexico’s trade ties. In that regard, he referred to the modernization process of the global agreement with the European Union and the opportunities presented by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) , which the United Kingdom has joined.
Customs, security and simplification of procedures
Regarding the national environment, Salazar identified three areas in which legislative work should contribute to improving competitiveness: administrative simplification, security, and customs operations.
Regarding the first point, he recalled the approval of legislation aimed at eliminating bureaucratic procedures and preventing authorities from requesting documents they themselves issue. However, he acknowledged that the effectiveness of these measures will have to be measured by their daily implementation and the actual reduction in service times.
In terms of security, he highlighted the approval of the General Law against Extortion , which standardizes the prosecution of this crime in the country and includes actions against extortion.
He also mentioned that, during the first nine months of the year, cargo theft decreased by about 21%, although he acknowledged that the figures still need to translate into better security conditions for operators and companies that travel on Mexican highways.
The senator cited Coahuila, the state he represents, as an example, noting that coordination between federal, state, and municipal governments has allowed progress in security matters, regardless of partisan differences.
Regarding customs, he indicated that the recent reform to the Customs Lawseeks to strengthen the tools of the authorities to combat practices such as undervaluation and smuggling, but acknowledged that its implementation has also generated operational challenges for foreign trade users.
Customs sector calls for rules with a good faith approach
During the question and answer session, representatives from the customs sector outlined some of the difficulties users face when applying the provisions and review procedures.
Fernando Ramos, former president of IMECE and president of the Latin American Confederation of Customs Agents (CLAA) , raised the need for Mexico to return to the international principles of trade facilitation and customs operations, particularly those related to the Revised Kyoto Convention .
The representative also asked to review the application of the principle of good faith, so that importers and customs agents who demonstrate a history of compliance are not treated under a generalized presumption of irregularity.
For his part, Sergio Barajas, former president of IMECE, called for strengthening the participation of the private sector in the USMCA review process, through spaces for dialogue between companies, legislators and authorities.
Meanwhile, Mario Osorio questioned the composition of the Customs Council, noting that it is made up of authorities from the Tax Administration Service (SAT) , the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP) , and the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) , without including representatives from chambers, associations, and foreign trade users.
He also explained the negative impacts of sampling procedures when goods are held in customs until laboratory results are received, a situation which, he said, causes additional costs for storage, transportation and delays .
“Many times we are treated, to put it colloquially, as criminals, under the principle that we act in bad faith,” he said.
Regarding sampling procedures, he acknowledged that keeping goods detained for several days can affect the continuity of production chains and eliminate the competitiveness margins of foreign trade operations.
Alternatively, it considered it necessary to move towards mechanisms that allow the identification of users’ compliance history and to distinguish operators who have proven their integrity, without implying the establishment of exceptions to the legislation.
“We need to create tailor-made solutions based on the users, based on the business owners who have proven their integrity, who are tested,” he said.
He also offered to promote meetings with the legislative committees on Economy and Foreign Relations to create spaces for dialogue with representatives of the sector and to follow up on their proposals.
He reiterated that Mexico’s competitiveness will depend on whether international trade commitments find suitable internal conditions for their implementation, with efficient institutions, clear rules, and security for logistics operations .
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