Mexico’s steel industry has called on the Ministry of Economy (SE) to exclude finished steel products from the tax-exempt temporary import program known as Immex, Kallanish hears.

The proposal is part of a broader set of measures aimed at supporting negotiations with the US President Donald Trump’s administration to exempt Mexico from the 25% tariff on steel and aluminium.

“Steel products must be excluded from Immex to close possibilities that allow Chinese products to enter Mexico under unfair competition conditions, and which are then re-exported to the US through third-party countries,” stated the Mexican steel industry association, Canacero. “This is one of the key negotiation tools secretary of economy Marcelo Ebrard will bring to the table in talks scheduled to conclude by May 3 with the US, aimed at securing relief from tariffs for Mexico’s steel industry.”

Currently, the Immex program enables companies to temporarily import raw materials and components for manufacturing, transformation, or repair without paying duties, provided the final products are exported.

If finished steel is excluded from the program, all Mexican exporters would be required to pay import duties on steel regardless of its origin. They could later request reimbursement from the Tax Administration Service (SAT) once the goods are exported.