Japan-Mexico Economic Partnership Agreement

Last updated: 27 May 2024

The Mexico-Japan Agreement for the Strengthening of the Economic Partnership was signed on 17 September 2004 and entered into force on 01 April 2005. This EPA with Japan was its first Free Trade Agreement with a country from Asia For Mexico. 

Major products in this FTA are in the mining and manufacturing industry, including:
1- Commitment by the Mexican side to liberalize the steel sector: custom duties would be eliminated on all steel products within ten years. 
2- Commitment by the Mexican side to liberalize the automobile sector: with the entry into force of the Agreement, a new non-custom-duties quota, which is equivalent to 5% of the number of units sold in Mexico in the previous year, would be established for automobiles and buses and trucks, excluding large buses and tracks complete liberalization would be achieved in the seventh year after the entry into force of the Agreement. 

In the area of energy technology trade, the treaty is tariff-free for the following prioritized products: 
coal and iron, alumina, ammonia, crude steel, aluminium, battery packs and cells, anodes, electric cars, and ICE cars. 

The regional value content of related goods shall be calculated on the basis of the transaction value method and no less than 50% unless it satisfies all other applicable requirements.

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