Mexico Considering Increasing Non-FTA Tariffs

Sep. 5, 2025
By: Chaney A. Finn

As Mexico tries to cope with the increase of imports to the country in reaction to increased tariffs in the United States, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s office disclosed that her government is considering expanding tariffs on goods imported from countries without free trade agreements with Mexico.

At present Mexico has free trade agreements with a wide range of countries, including the entire European Union, the United States, Canada, several South American countries, and a range of Asian countries. Among the countries that do not have a free trade agreement with Mexico is China. As it happens, Mexico has experienced a surge in Chinese imports that some believe is hurting Mexican industry. The proposal to hike tariffs against non-FTA countries is reportedly expected to be included in an upcoming budget.

The Trump administration has urged Mexico to take action in confronting China’s unfair trade practices and importation of fentanyl precursors into Mexico before being manufactured and smuggled into the U.S. Mexico’s anticipated tariffs on Chinese imports aligns with past discussions about matching U.S. actions on China and comes as Mexican and American diplomats continue to conduct bilateral negotiations regarding trade, security, and border issues. The tariff proposal also comes shortly before the USMCA partners begin discussing the future of that agreement.

Use of levying tariffs is not unprecedented from the Mexican government, as tariffs were raised on non-FTA goods like steel and textiles in recent years. Both Mexico and U.S. diplomats expressed optimism about future trade cooperation, particularly within the framework of the USMCA, which is scheduled for review in July 2026.

Should you have any questions regarding tariffs, or have any other trade-related questions, do not hesitate to contact any attorney at Barnes Richardson and Colburn.