Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, announced that the country plans to request a review of U.S. tariffs on heavy-duty vehicles manufactured in Mexico using roughly 60% American-made auto parts. This will be part of the scheduled review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA/T-MEC) in 2026.
Ebrard stated during a press conference that the current U.S. treatment of Mexican-made vehicles contradicts the terms of the trade agreement, adding that this topic will be a priority during the negotiations.
“Our first request to the United States will be to uphold the treaty’s commitment that auto parts manufactured in Mexico receive the same treatment as those made in the U.S.,” Ebrard said.
Since November 1, the U.S. has applied a 25% tariff on imports of medium and heavy-duty trucks, a measure affecting Mexico despite over half of these vehicles’ components originating in the United States.
Mexico aims to negotiate a discount structure similar to that used for light vehicles, where the tariff rate is reduced based on the percentage of U.S.-made parts, potentially lowering the effective rate to around 10% or less.
These statements followed the presentation of the “Agreement on Environmental Conditions for the Importation of Used Vehicles,” co-signed by Mexico’s Secretary of Environment, Alicia Bárcena.
The agreement bans the import of used diesel vehicles weighing over 3,857 kilograms and limits the age of any imported vehicle to 10 years or less.
Bárcena highlighted that despite accounting for only 5% of the national vehicle fleet, diesel vehicles contribute 61% of certain pollutants, including suspended particles.
Ebrard noted that under the new agreement, tens of thousands of highly polluting vehicles are expected to stop entering the country by 2026.
Source: XEU Noticias
