AFTE Calls on Biden-Harris Administration To Improve USMCA Enforcement in Mexico
WASHINGTON (September 8) – Yesterday, ahead of the United States-Mexico High-Level Economic Dialogue, the Alliance for Trade Enforcement (AFTE) wrote Vice President Kamala Harris urging that the Biden-Harris administration take swift enforcement action to hold Mexico accountable for its persistent non-compliance with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
“It’s unfortunate that more than one year after USMCA was supposed to be fully implemented, Mexico is still not adhering to many of its provisions,” said Brian Pomper, Executive Director of the Alliance for Trade Enforcement. “Mexico’s actions impact a range of industries and put U.S. companies and workers at a disadvantage.”
For example, U.S. energy and power investors increasingly struggle to receive permits in Mexico because of discriminatory policies. Mexico’s failure to bring its intellectual property laws into full compliance with USMCA hurts American biotech firms. And unscientific labeling requirements make it harder for American manufacturers to export U.S.-made food and beverages to Mexico. AFTE previously sent a letter to the Biden-Harris administration in March 2021 drawing attention to Mexico’s ongoing violations of the USMCA and asking USTR to bring Mexico into compliance with the agreement.
Addressing these and other violations would benefit both the United States and Mexico and strengthen an otherwise prosperous trade partnership. After all, Mexico is already one of the United States’ top-three trading partners. U.S.-Mexico trade totaled more than $677 billion in 2019 and supports nearly 5 million U.S. jobs.
“AFTE looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to address Mexico’s unfair trade practices and enforce the important commercial provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” said Pomper. “The prosperity of U.S. businesses and workers depends on it.”
About the Alliance for Trade Enforcement: The Alliance for Trade Enforcement is a coalition of trade associations and business groups that advocates for foreign governments to end unfair trade practices that harm U.S. innovative industries and supports U.S. policymakers in their efforts to hold our trading partners accountable.