Following last week's agreement, the first bilateral round of T-MEC review talks between Mexico and the United States, set for March 16 in Washington, will center on reducing reliance on Asian inputs, rules of origin, and supply chain security amid global tensions like Middle East conflicts, Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said.
The inaugural round of negotiations for the T-MEC review, agreed upon with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, targets three key areas: decreasing dependence on Asian inputs, reviewing rules of origin, and bolstering supply chain security.
"How do we reduce dependence on other regions, especially Asia? Rules of origin? What is each of us thinking? And supply security for the economy," Ebrard outlined.
This emphasis stems from global instability, including the Middle East war, heightening the need for resilient North American supply chains in critical industries. "You're seeing this war we have now and I don't know if there will be other conflicts later. So it's a very relevant topic," he added.
Discussions will also establish methodologies for future rounds and potential chapter-specific revisions within the treaty's 34 chapters.
Separately, Mexico is engaging U.S. authorities on the Section 301 investigation, though Ebrard noted its limited scope, as 85% of bilateral trade falls under T-MEC protections.
Analysts frame the review within U.S. priorities under Donald Trump, seeking access to Mexico's energy and telecom sectors, amid concerns over declining Mexican value added in exports (from 58.8% in 1993 to 40% today).
