Background and Key Players
The Comisión de Economía, Comercio y Competitividad of the Chamber of Deputies is preparing to vote on a reform bill that increases import tariffs for 1,463 product classifications from countries without existing trade agreements with Mexico. This development comes as Miguel Ángel Salim, a PAN (National Action Party) deputy and president of the committee, anticipates a vote and approval during the current legislative period ending on December 15, 2025.
Claudia Sheinbaum, the President of Mexico City, presented this reform to the Chamber of Deputies alongside the 2026 Economic Package on September 9. The proposed amendment targets the Ley General de Aranceles a la Importación y Exportación (LIGIE) to raise tariffs on these products, which include sectors such as automotive, textiles, footwear, steel, chemicals, furniture, plastics, toys, and other consumer goods.
Key Sectors and Products Affected
These 1,463 product classifications fall under various sectors crucial to Mexico’s economy, such as automotive, textiles, footwear, steel, chemicals, furniture, plastics, and toys. The tariff increases aim to protect domestic industries from unfair competition and boost Mexico’s competitiveness.
Tariff Increases and Impact
The proposed reform plans to impose tariffs ranging from 10% to 50%, the maximum allowed by the World Trade Organization (WTO), on products originating from countries without trade agreements with Mexico. According to data from Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía, these tariffs would affect around 20% of Mexico’s imports from China.
This reform also builds upon approximately 41% of the tariff increases already implemented through 2024 decrees while introducing new tariffs on 59% of the product classifications for the first time through this new law.
Misinformation and Clarification
On November 3, the Consejo Nacional de la Industria Manufacturera de Exportación (Index) mistakenly informed its members that the Chamber of Deputies’ vote on the reform had been postponed and clarified that the new law’s implementation was not expected in January 2026.
Index clarified, “While the Commission’s Directing Board authorized an extension for deliberating various legislative proposals until the conclusion of the LXVI Legislature (August 2027), this does not prevent the Executive Power from proposing new decrees with similar intentions in the future. However, based on current information, there is no expectation of this reform taking effect in January 2026.”
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the purpose of this reform? The proposed tariff increases aim to protect Mexican industries from unfair competition and bolster the nation’s competitiveness.
- Which product sectors are affected? The reform impacts various crucial sectors, including automotive, textiles, footwear, steel, chemicals, furniture, plastics, and toys.
- What are the proposed tariff ranges? The reform plans to impose tariffs between 10% and 50%, as permitted by the WTO.
- Which countries will be affected? The tariff increases target products from countries without existing trade agreements with Mexico.
- When will the reform take effect? Based on current information, the new tariff law is not expected to enter into force in January 2026.
