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  1. Negotiations

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’s shoemakers feel squeeze of globalization
8-Jan-2008 Chicago Tribune
Mexicans can’t match the low wages and cheap production of China, and they can’t keep up with the technology and productivity of the US and other industrialized economies.
Competition with China: if you can’t beat it, join it
2-Nov-2007 IPS
China has beaten Mexico hands down in terms of trade in the past few years, and may do even better after December, when a "peace clause" expires.
The EU-Mexico free trade agreement seven years on: A warning to the global South
16-Jul-2007 TNI
Seven years on, the impact of the EU-Mexico FTA is clear. Instead of the promised economic and social benefits, the treaty has left the Mexican state unable to implement policies to promote local small and medium size companies.
Is Mexico overlooking the EU ?
13-Jul-2007
Extract from introduction of dissertation entitled "FTA European Union - Mexico: An overview of the ’Global Agreement’ and impact since the start"
Mexico, China to push forward bilateral investment agreement
24-Mar-2007 Xinhua
Mexico and China will seek important progress towards signing a reciprocal investment promotion agreement before the end of 2007.
Mexican, EU legislators seek to improve trade agreement
28-Feb-2007 People’s Daily
Legislators from Mexico and the European Union (EU) met on Tuesday to discuss improving the free trade agreement signed in 2000.
Peru and Mexico negotiate free trade pact
4-Sep-2006 MercoPress
Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Ernesto Derbez said Thursday that his country and Peru are "90 percent" of the way to concluding a free trade agreement.
Mexico, Argentina sign extended agreement
11-Jun-2006 AP
Mexico and Argentina signed an extended trade and investment agreement Thursday increasing the number of products given preferential tariff treatment by the two countries.
Patterson, Fox agree to joint action on trade promotion
5-May-2005
Jamaica and Mexico have agreed to joint action to promote bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, following discussions between Prime Minister PJ Patterson and Mexican president Vincente Fox yesterday.