MEX19-1

This workshop is a follow-up to Mexico's Sixth Trade Policy Review (EPC), which took place in 2017. The Mexican authorities hope that, through this workshop, the results of Mexico's EPC will be made known to a wide range of national institutions involved in the formulation of public policies related to foreign trade and investment, and to other actors involved in international trade related activities in Mexico. In this sense, the workshop will be an important complement to the EPC in Geneva.
The objective is to present the process of elaboration of the EPC and, in particular, the results, conclusions and recommendations derived from the Review.
During this Review, WTO Members congratulated Mexico for its commitment to trade liberalization and for the implementation of an economic reform program that includes policies and measures in areas such as taxation, competition, energy (particularly hydrocarbons), financial services, and telecommunications. They also congratulated Mexico for unilaterally reducing tariffs on certain agricultural products and for simplifying its customs procedures, for example by adopting a digital window and making the use of customs agents optional.
Members expressed satisfaction with these reforms that seek to address some of the concerns raised in the 2012 trade policy review, such as insufficient competition and barriers to foreign investment in the relevant sectors.
During the 2017 Review, Members also identified areas where they considered improvements were needed in a number of areas. For example, Mexico was encouraged to make further improvements in relation to the application of customs procedures and to reconsider the use of reference prices. Concern was also expressed about the effect on trade of the import licensing regime, and of the application of certain technical regulations and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, as well as the use of anti-dumping measures.
Members also urged Mexico to open its market further to foreigners, particularly in the area of government procurement and services, and that Mexico's trade remained highly dependent on a single market, and that there was a clear need to diversify it. In this regard, Members encouraged Mexico to capitalize on its preferential trade agreements and to strengthen its economic ties with different trading partners.
Members called on Mexico to strengthen the enforcement of intellectual property rights, particularly at the border.
With regard to agriculture, Members questioned the numerous support programmes and their scope and effectiveness.
The seminar will be conducive to discussing all these issues and analysing what plans exist to advance the implementation of the recommendations made by Members during the EPC. It will also be informative for new public officials who were not present at the time of Mexico's 6th EPC in 2017.