Background on the Consejo de Empresas Globales
The Consejo de Empresas Globales, composed of 60 major international companies, has endorsed Mexico’s tariff application to safeguard jobs and boost domestic production. The group includes prominent firms such as Bimbo, General Motors, BBVA, Bosch, Nissan, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Samsung, Nestlé, and Nike, among others. These companies are leaders in over 20 sectors of the economy, accounting for more than 40% of foreign direct investment. They foster national supply chains and contribute to approximately 10% of Mexico’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Support for Tariff Application
The Consejo de Empresas Globales acknowledged Mexico’s legitimate interest in strengthening trade policy instruments to protect employment, formal production, and national productive integration. They emphasized that the effectiveness of the tariff policy hinges on intelligent, flexible, and reviewable implementation that considers Mexico’s diverse productive apparatus and international market dynamics.
Key Areas for Consideration
- Availability of domestic production and its impact on value chains and exports
- Effects on costs, consumer prices, and investment decisions
- Operational capacity for efficient and predictable implementation, including customs and tariff criteria
Call for Streamlined Administrative Processes
The global companies urged Claudia Sheinbaum’s government to reduce administrative complexity and provide legal certainty for businesses adhering to the law and contributing to formal economic development. They emphasized the need for adapting mechanisms, such as exception schemes for critical inputs and strategic intermediary goods, along with other administrative tools enabling agile adjustments and periodic reviews based on evidence.
Importance of Effective Tariff Policy Implementation
The Consejo de Empresas Globales stressed that the success of tariff policy relies on smart, adaptable, and reviewable implementation. This approach should account for Mexico’s diverse productive structure and international market dynamics, ensuring that value chains, exports, costs, consumer prices, and investment decisions are appropriately addressed.
Collaboration with Authorities
In light of the requested adjustments, global companies reiterated their willingness to collaborate technically with Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía and other authorities. They offered to provide information and participate in dialogue spaces aimed at maximizing the benefits of these measures while minimizing risks to the country’s competitiveness.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the Consejo de Empresas Globales? It’s a coalition of 60 major international companies leading over 20 sectors of the Mexican economy, accounting for more than 40% of foreign direct investment.
- Why did these companies support Mexico’s tariff application? They recognized Mexico’s legitimate interest in safeguarding employment, formal production, and national productive integration through trade policy instruments.
- What adjustments did these companies request? They called for reduced administrative complexity, legal certainty for compliant businesses, and adaptable tariff mechanisms considering domestic production availability, market dynamics, and value chains.
- How do these companies aim to contribute to the implementation process? They offered technical collaboration with relevant authorities, providing information and participating in dialogue spaces to optimize benefits and minimize competitiveness risks.
