Mexico slaps tariffs on 1,400+ products—up to 50%—targeting non-FTA partners

       10 December 2025 – in a two-hour plenary Mexico’s lower house overwhelmingly approved President Claudia Sheinbaum’s tariff bill; hours later the Senate passed it 76-5-35. Publication is expected by 15 December and the new duties take effect 1 January 2026.

  Bill at a glance  

       Scope: 1,400+ tariff lines across 17 sectors, raised from 0-20% to 10-50%

       Peak rates: 316 lines formerly duty-free now taxed; 341 lines at 35%; 302 at 10%; rest staggered

       Sectors hit: textiles & apparel, steel & iron, autos & parts, plastics, home appliances, toys, furniture, footwear & leather, paper & board, motorcycles, aluminium, trailers & glass, cosmetics & soap

       Target countries: China, India, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Russia, Turkey, Brazil, UAE, South Africa, etc. (no FTA). EU, US, Canada (FTA partners) exempt.

Selected tariff lines (full list on SNICE)

1、Textiles & apparel – 1,014 lines, 10-35%

2、Steel & iron – 249 lines, 15-50%

3、Autos & parts – 235 lines, 20-50%

4、Plastics – 81 lines, 10-35%

5、Home appliances – 18 lines, 15-30%

6、Toys – 37 lines, 10-25%

7、Furniture – 28 lines, 15-35%

8、Footwear & leather – 67 lines, 10-30%

9、Paper & board – 47 lines, 10-20%

10、Motorcycles – 8 lines, 20-40%

11、Aluminium – 21 lines, 15-35%

12、Cosmetics & soap – 24 lines, 10-25%

  Beijing: “We hope Mexico acts responsibly”

       At a 12 Dec press briefing China’s Commerce Ministry said it “noted the reports and will closely follow implementation and assess impacts.” Although some rates—on auto parts, light-industry goods and textiles—were trimmed versus the September draft, “the measures will still materially hurt trade partners including China.” China “opposes all unilateral tariff increases” and “hopes Mexico will correct this wrong practice.” Beijing’s trade-and-investment-barrier investigation launched at end-September is ongoing. “Any agreement should not be achieved at the expense of global trade or China’s legitimate interests.”

Mexican media: “Devastating impact”

       El Financiero warned the tariffs “could disrupt critical supply chains when Mexico’s economy is virtually stagnant.” Electronics and autos—heavily reliant on Chinese inputs—are most exposed. “Costs will be passed to consumers,” analysts told El Economista. Trade consultant Molina noted 77 % of Mexico’s imports are intermediate goods; higher duties “will raise production costs and brake GDP growth. Tariffs distort markets, especially where customs oversight is weak.” Mexico, he added, “is far more vulnerable to friction with China than the U.S. is.”