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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


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.
EU, Mexico making progress on trade talks
The Commission explained that further work is needed on market access and rules, including geographical indications and investment protection.
Cheese is the beef as EU-Mexico trade talks resume
The EU and Mexico resumed talks aimed at sealing a new version of their 18-year-old trade deal, a project that has hit several snags — including the touchy issue of cheese.
EU and Mexico fail to conclude political agreement on trade deal
Despite having spent three days in Brussels, Mexican economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo hasn’t managed to break the deadlock over the contentious outstanding issues.
Mexico sees possible EU trade deal as NAFTA talks drag on
Mexico and the EU have reached agreements on areas like e-commerce, but agricultural market access and product origin labeling remain significant sticking points.
Mexico wants to have strong relations with EAEU - foreign minister
Mexico considers a bilateral agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) or cooperation between EAEU and the Pacific Alliance.
NAFTA talks must benefit agricultural trade: Mexico
While NAFTA talks continue, Mexico is seeking to diversify its export markets and is expanding agricultural exports to China, Japan, South Korea and countries of the Arabian Peninsula.