Mexico announced a decree that imposes temporary tariffs to a series of clothing and supplies textiles and will increase the list of products that cannot be imported without taxes, in search of protecting the local industry, announced President Claudia Sheinbaum and the Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard.
The measure, which will be implemented immediately and will be in force until April 22, 2026contemplates a tariff of 35% on 138 ready-made goods, as well as another of 15% on 17 types of textile goods. Another provision extends the list of products that will not benefit from a government program that promotes export-oriented industry (IMMEX) and that allows inputs to be imported tax-free as long as they are used to make final goods.
“Why will the Mexican company be at a disadvantage compared to who brings that finished product? It is a door that we are going to close,” said the secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard during the announcement.
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The official explained that the tariffs seek to stop the import of products with “incredibly low” prices that compete unfairly with their local equivalents. The measure expands a first list that was published last April.
In the case of the IMMEX program, Ebrard explained that companies and customs agencies have abused this benefit by importing goods that were supposedly inputs to manufacture other products, but that end up being sold in the local market.
To date, some 40 customs agencies have been detected involved in this fraud and seven of them have been sanctioned with the withdrawal of their patents, he indicated.
“Removing the patent from customs agents is because there was corruption, because they were lying to the authority,” he added. Sheinbaum.
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Ebrard pointed out that the tariffs are focused on “specific fractions” of products and are not directed at countries but at merchandise. “They could be different countries,” he said.
The provisions exclude countries with which Mexico maintains free trade agreements, he added.
The protectionist measures are a government response to the damages that the Mexican textile industry has faced due to unfair competition, explained the secretary.
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