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Sheinbaum Meets U.S. Trade Representative as Mexico Seeks to Avoid New U.S. Tariffs

The talks will influence whether proposed Section 301 duties on about 60 countries proceed, with trade decisions tied to water deliveries and border security

Overview

  • Mexico’s president met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday to review the third round of T-MEC talks and to press Mexico’s case against higher U.S. tariffs.
  • Greer has proposed Section 301 tariffs in bands near 10% and 12.5% for roughly 60 countries and told U.S. senators that trade outcomes may depend on Mexico’s cooperation on water and border security.
  • Mexico’s Secretaría de Economía held a formal hearing to present arguments why Mexican goods should be exempt from the new U.S. levies and Mexican officials say they are complying with the 1944 Water Treaty.
  • Both sides reported advances after the meeting but disclosed no detailed deals, and Greer said provisional options could be possible by year-end while complex issues may stretch into 2027.
  • The U.S. decision not to auto-extend the T-MEC triggered annual reviews, creating near-term uncertainty for businesses because roughly 80–87% of Mexican exports to the U.S. now rely on the agreement’s preferential rules.