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Mexico

January 2004 saw the entry into force of NAFTA, the free-trade agreement with the US and Canada. This agreement set the pattern for the US imposition of FTAs elsewhere. It contains basic elements that would be repeated in many subsequent FTAs. By the same token, its adoption kickstarted the civil society movement of resistance to FTAs that has been gathering strength for the last 15 years.

In addition to NAFTA, Mexico has signed the following FTAs:
 Bolivia (1994)
 Costa Rica (1994)
 Group of Three (Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela (1994); Venezuela pulled out in November 2006; in March 2011, the Mexican Congress agreed to extend the Colombian FTA to agriculture)
 Nicaragua (1997)
 Chile (1998)
 EU (1999)
 EFTA (2000)
 Israel (2000)
 Northern Triangle (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, 2000)
 Uruguay (2003)
 Japan (2005)
 Central America (2011, unifying all previous FTAs with the different countries)
 Peru (ratified by the Mexican Congress in December 2011)

The government is currently in FTA discussions with Panama, Singapore, South Korea, New Zealand, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and others.

Mexico’s FTAs with Colombia, Peru and Brazil have been the focus of intense resistance from the farming and fishing sectors.

last update: May 2012
Photo: Presidencia de la Repúblida de México - CC BY 2.0


A portrait of transnational power in Mexico: the investment protection system and its consequences
This report looks at Mexico’s investment protection regime and outlines its main consequences for the country.
Chile and Mexico successfully conclude negotiations to modernize free trade agreement
Two new chapters on Trade and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises have been added to the agreement that came into effect 25 years ago.
Lawsuits by foreign investors against Mexico
According to the Ministry of Economy, from 1997 to 2022, 23 lawsuits were concluded against Mexico, where more than 3.362 million dollars were claimed as compensation, within the framework of NAFTA and various investment agreements.
Joint press release on the meeting between President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador
To develop a deeper political, trade and cooperation partnership, President López Obrador and President von der Leyen concurred on the importance of the draft modernised Global Agreement and agreed to expedite negotiations with a view to finalise the agreement before the end of the year.
Mexico pauses free trade agreement negotiations with South Korea
Mexico has paused negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement with South Korea in order to design the objectives it wants to achieve, said minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mexico and Turkey announce resumption of free trade agreement
The Mexican Foreign Ministry has announced the resumption of bilateral relations with Turkey through negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two countries.
Mexico expects EU trade deal to be approved in 2022, minister says
The European Union should sign off on its updated trade agreement with Mexico later this year, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said.
Six reasons NOT to ratify the EU-Mexico Global Agreement
Statement of the Mexican, European and international civil society, 4 July 2022
Ecuador and Mexico move closer to a trade deal in ninth round of talks
Ecuador and Mexico made "substantial progress" toward a Productive Integration Agreement in the ninth round of negotiations held May 23 to 27 in Quito.
Transnational corporations and free trade in Mexico
This report examines how, over the last 30 years, Mexico has become one of the main industrial paradises on the planet.