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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


Mexico turns trade attention to Japan with Nafta talks at risk
Economy minister in Tokyo this week for conferences, meetings. Nafta uncertainty rising after Trump, Trudeau clashed.
Mexico wins ‘cheese war’ over Europe in trade deal
Europe did not gain exclusive rights for Spain’s La Mancha farmers to use Manchego, which has protected geographical status in the EU.
EU’s new trade deal with Mexico promotes CETA-style investors’ rights while ignoring human rights violations by multinationals
A key feature of the “modernisation” process is the inclusion of a controversial investment protection chapter with the same characteristics as the one recently included in the Canada-EU trade agreement.
EU, Mexico reach ‘agreement in principle’ on free trade deal
The EU and Mexico have reached an “agreement in principle” to modernise an existing free trade deal, as the Latin American country faces pressure from protectionist measures threatened by US President Donald Trump.
Mexico pushes to finish trade deal with EU this month
EU is biggest buyer of Mexican goods following US, Canada. Negotiators are said to aim for announcement during Pena trip.
Mexico looks to boost trade with China as NAFTA talks falter
A potential free-trade agreement with China could weaken Mexico’s environmental standards.
Civil society recommendations for the investment chapter of the revised EU-Mexico FTA
The undersigned organisations take the position that it is advisable to break away from the fundamentally flawed and increasingly controversial ISDS system.
EU, Mexico continue talks to modernize FTA
Negotiators from the EU and Mexico have begun the ninth round of talks to modernize their free-trade agreement.
Mexico aims for EU free-trade deal by end of February
The EU and Mexico intend to update a trade deal agreed 21 years ago that largely covers industrial goods. They want to add farm products, more services, investment and government procurement.
Mexico-EU free trade deal should be finished in a few weeks - official
Mexico’s deputy economy minister, Juan Carlos Baker, said negotiations will resume in the week beginning Feb. 5, with a quick end in sight.