Overview

• Mexico’s Economy Ministry, the USTR and Canadian authorities have formally launched public consultations that feed into trilateral review work set for January through June 2026 with a joint review on July 1, 2026.
• U.S. business interlocutors say Washington views the process as a renegotiation rather than a routine review because of Mexico’s judicial reform and the elimination of autonomous agencies, according to AmSoc’s Larry Rubin.
• The USTR’s priorities include scrapping barriers involving GMOs, intellectual property, non‑discriminatory treatment for U.S. energy investors, high telecom spectrum costs, COFEPRIS licensing delays and broader regulatory uncertainty.
• President Donald Trump has demanded Mexico remove more than 50 non‑tariff barriers, a stance reinforced by Senator Marco Rubio, with tariffs serving as leverage in the talks.
• Business groups and Mexican officials expect a successful, targeted renegotiation focused on roughly 16% of issues such as autos and steel, while U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs are expected to stay in place over the next year and nearshoring plans advance.