Mexico’s Tariff Announcement a Key First Step for Fair Trade in USMCA Region
25 Abril 2024 - 11:09AM
Charles Johnson, president & CEO of the Aluminum Association,
released the following statement following the Mexican government’s
announcement of increased border tariffs on hundreds of products
including many types of aluminum and aluminum products:
“We appreciate this important first step by the government of
Mexico to tighten aluminum trade enforcement in North America –
consistent with commitments made under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada
Agreement (USMCA). While we continue to assess how these tariffs
might impact regional trade flows, we look forward to further
aligning the action with the United States Section 232 aluminum
tariff regime. A coordinated regional strategy will better insulate
North America from heavily state subsidized and illegally traded
metal from China, as well as more recently discounted Russian
metal. The Aluminum Association also understands and shares the
concerns expressed by other industry groups that duty forgiveness
programs such as IMMEX may undermine the impact of this action. We
also continue to encourage governments across the region to ramp up
trade monitoring systems to quickly identify transshipped and
otherwise unfairly traded aluminum. The Aluminum Association has
long advocated for trade enforcement that targets bad actors in the
marketplace while maintaining open trade with partners who play by
the rules. Mexico’s action this week was not specifically tailored
to address Chinese and Russian imports, as the joint statement from
the North American industries recently called for. We will work
with the U.S. and Mexican governments to ensure that these new
tariffs are constructed and enforced in a smart, targeted, and
efficient way so that they do not negatively impact valued trading
partners.”
In recent months, the Aluminum Association has worked closely
with industry and governments in North America to address
significant aluminum trade challenges in the region ahead of a
mandated review of the USMCA in 2026. The association has joined
industry partners in Canada and Mexico advocating for stronger
trade enforcement including potential tariffs; more transparent
monitoring and reporting of aluminum trade flows in the region; and
the creation of a North American Aluminum Trade Committee (NAATC)
to formalize regional collaboration between government and
industry.
###
About The Aluminum AssociationThe Aluminum
Association represents the full value chain of aluminum production
and jobs in the United States, including companies that make 70% of
the aluminum and aluminum products shipped in North America. The
association is the industry’s leading voice, developing global
standards, business intelligence, sustainability research and
industry expertise for member companies, policymakers and the
general public. Aluminum helps manufacturers make good products
great and great products even better – from fuel-efficient vehicles
and sustainable packaging to the infrastructure of tomorrow and
more. The industry supports $228 billion in economic activity and
nearly 700,000 jobs in the United States. Aluminum companies have
invested more than $10 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the past
decade to capture next generation growth. For more information,
visit https://www.aluminum.org.
Matt Meenan
Aluminum Association
703-358-2977
mmeenan@aluminum.org