Key facts
- Mexico's fourth round of trade talks with the US has been postponed.
- The talks may be held in October due to scheduling conflicts.
- Mexico's priority is reducing US Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles.
- The negotiation agenda has expanded to nearly 90 issues.
- Technical coordination between Mexico and the US Trade Representative's Office continues daily.
The fourth round of trade talks between Mexico and the United States, originally scheduled for next week, has been postponed and could take place in October. A senior Mexican official cited scheduling conflicts, including Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to the US and the upcoming G20 summit, as reasons for the delay.
Despite the pause in formal rounds, Mexico's deputy economy minister for foreign trade, Luis Rosendo Gutierrez, stated that technical coordination with the US Trade Representative's Office (USTR) remains a daily occurrence. The negotiations are focused on securing an interim bilateral agreement that would provide Mexico with relief from certain US tariffs, particularly on steel, aluminum, and automobiles, while addressing US demands concerning automotive content and Chinese investment.
Gutierrez noted that the negotiation agenda has expanded from 54 issues to nearly 90, which he described as a natural evolution for complex topics like digital platform regulation.