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The
bilateral trade talks are ahead of a scheduled review later this
year of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, the
latest version of free trade agreements among the U.S., Mexico
and Canada dating back to the early 1990s that have intertwined
the economies of the three North American countries.
The USMCA has allowed Mexico to avoid much of Trump's
protectionist measures because many Mexican goods are covered by
the free trade agreement. However, a number of products are not
covered, including medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which face a
25% tariff. A 50% tariff on steel, aluminum and copper remains
in effect, as does a 17% tariff on Mexican tomatoes.
Mexico’s Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said on X that the
first round of upcoming bilateral talks were arranged with U.S.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and that they would address
issues related to rules of origin, increasing production, supply
chain security and integrating economies to boost
competitiveness against other regions.
Greer's office said that, after the initial talks, the two sides
would “meet regularly thereafter.”
Relations among the three USMCA partners have been strained over
the past year by Trump’s protectionist measures, which have set
markets and investors on edge. Ebrard and other Mexican
officials have been regularly traveling to Washington and
meeting with American officials to try to offset tariff threats.
Mexico and Canada also are holding talks to strengthen
cooperation on trade and security ahead of the USMCA's scheduled
review, six years after taking effect.
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