Mexico Renews Increased Tariffs on Steel Products After Short Expiration
Mexico is renewing temporary tariff increases on steel products under 186 tariff subheadings, according to a notice in the March 25 Diario Oficial. The across-the-board 15 percent tariff had originally been imposed on the same 186 tariff subheadings in June 2018, before apparently expiring on Jan. 31, 2019. The renewed tariff increases take effect March 26, and will remain in place for six months, the notice said.
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Though the tariffs are meant to address global steel overcapacity, they are not special safeguard measures outside of normal WTO-agreed tariff rates. The increased 15 percent rate falls within the bounded maximum tariff for Mexico under various WTO agreements. Mexico has separate retaliatory tariffs on imports of steel and other products from the U.S. that were also imposed in June 2018, without a specified expiration date.
The new, temporary rate of 15 percent serves as the general most favored nation (MFN) rate applicable to all countries without free trade agreements. The tariff lines under the renewed tariff increase are the same as those from the initial increase in June 2018. Affected tariff headings include 7208, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7213, 7214, 7216, 7219, 7225, 7226, 7227, 7228, 7304, 7305, 7306, 7307 and 7308.