Mexico announced restrictions on imports of apparel products to IMMEX companies in a decree.
The measure consists of eliminating 302 tariff items from section C of Annex II of the IMMEX Decree.
This section establishes the goods that must comply with specific requirements in order to be temporarily imported under the IMMEX Decree.
Imports of apparel products
According to the Ministry of Economy, in 2023, temporary imports were registered under the IMMEX Decree. These consisted of 1,338 million ready-made pieces and 331 million pairs of ready-made garments. In addition, 1,174 million pieces and 233 million pairs of garments were exported, all classified in chapters 61, 62, 63 and subheadings 9404.40 and 9404.90.
On the other hand, as of September 2024, imports reached 1,124 million pieces, while exports were 821 million pieces of the apparel industry. As for apparel pairs, 222 million were imported and 133 million were exported.
The Ministry of Economy pointed out that these data reflect that the return of goods has not been complied with, which has affected the competitiveness of the national industry. This non-compliance generates significant damage to the sector.
In response, the government urged measures to prevent practices that could harm employment and the competitiveness of domestic industry. To prevent other undesirable practices, such as technical smuggling, new regulations are proposed. In this sense, the temporary importation, under the IMMEX Decree, of finished apparel goods classified in chapters 61, 62, 63, as well as in subheadings 9404.40 and 9404.90 would not be allowed. In addition, subheadings 6117.90, 6217.90, 6302.91, 6302.93 and 6302.99, which classify cuts of fabric for apparel, are excluded.
Index
In this regard, the National Council of the Export Manufacturing Industry (Index) said that with respect to the comment that 48% of the goods imported under the IMMEX Program do not register return, the difference is due to the fact that, although the textiles entered through a defined chapter, as they went through a transformation process, their exit is declared with a different fraction than the entry one.
In a press release, the Index suggested that this type of measures be reviewed in advance and in depth with the Index itself in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and the representatives of the textile-garment chain.