Ebrard puts tariffs at the centre of Mexico’s US trade talks
Mexico’s economy secretary Marcelo Ebrard linked Donald Trump’s deal announcement to Mexican concerns about steel, aluminium and automotive tariffs. After meeting senators, he said narcotics cooperation and extraditions were outside the trade talks. Mexico wants to finish this year’s North American trade agreement review before year-end, while US investigations under a separate trade provision continue.
Geopolitics··Night
Mexico presses its sectoral tariff concerns
Mexican Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Donald Trump’s trade deal announcement was connected to issues Mexico had raised with Washington. Speaking after meeting senators, he singled out tariffs affecting steel, aluminium and the automotive industry. He described those areas, covered by Section 232 of US trade law, as among his greatest concerns in the negotiations.[1], [2]
Section 232 belongs to the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and gives the US president authority to impose tariffs, quotas or other import restrictions. Ebrard also said investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 had not finished. Those continuing investigations were another concern he identified alongside the existing sectoral measures.[1]
Narcotics and extraditions stay outside the trade table
Ebrard appeared before the Senate for almost four hours as lawmakers examined President Claudia Sheinbaum’s second report on her administration. He said the United States had not raised narcotics cooperation or extraditions in 115 trade meetings. In his account, those subjects had neither entered nor affected talks on the agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada, known in Mexico as T-MEC.[2], [1]
He declined to assess Trump’s public statements, describing them as part of the US president’s campaign approach. Ebrard said he was focusing on concrete developments and defended Sheinbaum’s strategy and her direct conversations with Trump. He characterised Mexico’s position as involving fewer tariffs and more exports.[2]
Mexico seeks to finish the review before year-end
Mexico wants to finish this year’s review of the North American trade agreement before the end of the year, Ebrard said, to give investors certainty. He claimed Mexico’s effective tariff rate was around 3.2 percent, compared with 22 percent for China, and described its trade and investment relationship with the United States as better placed than other countries’ relationships. These comparisons were the minister’s assessment of Mexico’s negotiating position.[1], [2]
Ebrard also said representatives at two Group of Twenty (G20) meetings had praised Mexico’s position and asked him to congratulate Sheinbaum. He presented those conversations as support for the government’s negotiating approach.[1], [2]
