On February 1st, 2025, United States President, Donald J. Trump, signed three executive orders establishing tariff increases on products imported from Mexico (25%), Canada (25%, except for energy products, which will be subject to a 10% tariff), and China (additional 10%), making it effective on February 4th, 2025. The Trump Administration justified these measures based on its concerns about border drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and unfair trade practices.

In early February, following negotiations between the leaders of these countries, it was agreed to suspend tariffs for 30 days while working groups explored long-term trade and security solutions. However, despite collaborative efforts to fulfill Mexico's commitments to continue this tariff “peace,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has officially implemented the previously delayed tariffs, which became effective on March 4th, 2025.

On Monday, February 3rd, 2025, President Donald J. Trump confirmed the intention to put these tariffs into effect on March 4th, 2025, for the countries previously mentioned, while in the afternoon of the same day the U.S. government published in the Federal Register the Executive Order No. 14194 entitled “Imposing Duties to Address the Situation at Our Southern Border” which states that the new tariff quotas will go into effect as of the first minute (12:01 a.m.) of Tuesday, March 4th, 2025, Washington D.C. time; being 11:00 p.m. on Monday in Mexico City on Tuesday.

Despite the above, the White House informed during the early hours of Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, President Trump's intention for Mexican and Canadian automotive companies, to present a delay to the entry of tariffs of one month for automotive import operations under the USMCA, at the express request of the industry companies from the United States. Thus, for such imports, the new tariff will take effect until April 2nd, 2025, along with new tariffs that will be added, including quotas specifically filed for the automotive industry.

Subsequently, after two days of uncertainty regarding the future of foreign trade and commercial relationships between the USMCA countries, as well as Mexico's possible response to this situation, on Thursday, March 6th, 2025, both U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, held dialogues regarding the bilateral relationship between the two economies, as well as the importance of trade development in the USMCA zone (United States, Mexico, and Canada). In this way, President Trump accepted an extension to the new tariffs for all those products that apply as originating for the use of the USMCA Agreement, on this way, all products that classify as originating under the USMCA Treaty, from Mexico and Canada will not be required to pay a tariff, maintaining this measure until April 2nd, 2025.

By his side, the President of the United States remarked in the same notice that the rest of the tariff measures already presented will be maintained (those presented for China and non-originating products), as well as the presentation of the Second Round of Reciprocal Tariffs for all countries, on April 2nd, 2025.

In this way, following continuous days of discussion between the leaders of the countries and constant updating of information, the main points regarding the new U.S. tariffs and the responses of the affected countries are presented in the following table.

Additionally, please note that today, March 12, 2025, the order was enacted through which a 25% general tariff was applied to all imports of Steel and Aluminum, which is expected to be in addition to the tariffs already presented by the administration of President Donald J. Trump.

On the other hand, due to this set of measures taken by the United States, China has not remained with its arms crossed, therefore, in addition to the tariff measures presented, they have also opted to suspend imports of some agricultural products to their country, the revocation of certifications and benefits to some U.S. companies in their country and the filing of a case on tariffs matters at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the acts perpetuated by the current U.S. administration. Thus, increasing political and commercial tension that already existed between the two economic powers.

The imposition of these tariffs is a reality and the beginning of a new era in foreign trade matters for our country as well. It will be important to keep close to the information that will emerge in the coming days regarding updates on the subject and the position that Mexico will take on the matter, as well as the position that the United States and the world will take on the new reciprocal tariffs presented on April 2nd, which will mark a new era of global economic development and of the international commerce reality that has developed over the last decades.

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