Mexico is a founding member of the WTO and grants at least most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment to all of its trading partners.

On average, the highest tariffs per WTO category continue to be applied to agricultural products, specifically sugar and confectionery, and dairy products, with tariffs of 30% (40.9% in 2016) and 22.1% (40.9% in 2016), respectively.

Average applied tariffs on animals and animal products, which in 2016 were 24.8 percent, were reduced in 2021 to 15.5 percent.

Average applied tariffs on non-agricultural products have not changed significantly, despite having increased for almost all products since 2016, except for fish and fish products (13.8 percent in 2021 and 15.5 percent in 2016).

Estructura de los aranceles NMF, 2016 y 2021

However, both fish and fish products and apparel (21.4% in 2021 and 21% in 2016) have the highest average tariffs.

MFN Tariffs

Mexico advocates for a rules-based multilateral trading system that contributes to more inclusive development, and supports the elimination of distortions in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

It also participates in joint initiatives to examine new trade issues, such as the insertion of MSMEs in international trade, e-commerce, investment facilitation, domestic regulation in the area of services, and trade and environmental sustainability.

Mexico participated in the preparatory work for the Twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference (WTO12), particularly in the preparation of several ministerial declarations on the promotion of gender equality and the economic empowerment of women in trade; trade and environmental sustainability; MSMEs; and sanitary and phytosanitary issues; as well as a joint communication on investment facilitation for development.

Applied tariffs in 2021, excluding compound tariffs, ranged from 0 to 75% (100% in 2016).

The most frequent tariff rate, which applies to 47.4% of tariff lines (58.1% in 2016), is zero percent.

In January 2021, lines with an ad valorem tariff above 0% were subject to 15 different rates (18 in 2016), ranging from 3 to 75% (in 2016, the highest rate was 100 percent).

Other than 0%, the most common tariff rates in 2021 were 15% (1,255 lines, 16.1% of total lines); 10% (969 lines, 12.4%); and 5% (849 lines, 10.8%).