The Chamber of Deputies will open a formal space next week to hear from the country's main industries before voting on the LIGIE reform, an initiative that seeks to increase tariffs on imports from Asia. The call, confirmed to LPO by Miguel Ángel Salim, president of the Economy, Trade and Competitiveness Committee, aims to order the debate and show that lawmakers want to listen to the sectors before making a decision. The working tables will be held on Wednesday, November 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., in halls C and D of the G Building of San Lázaro. According to legislative sources, the intention is for the process to be quick and for the issue to be voted on before the end of the legislative period on December 15. The proposal was presented one day after the economic package pushed by President Claudia Sheinbaum and seeks to increase tariffs on more than a thousand tariff fractions from countries without a trade agreement with Mexico. The official objective is to protect sensitive sectors from Asian competition and, at the same time, strengthen revenue collection in a year of tight finances. The working tables will be the first filter to gauge the mood of the private sector and adjust the final draft. The Commission requested to enable a microsite to register attendees because there will be limited capacity. In San Lázaro, it is explained that this instance was opened not to leave out any affected sector. However, for now, the bet is on exhausting the legislative process. China would be the country most affected by the measure, but it would also reach nations such as South Korea, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, and Turkey. Within Congress, they do not rule out that, if the discussion becomes complicated, the Executive Branch may resort to a decree, as has happened on previous occasions. The Commission has already carried out a preliminary evaluation of the project, but it wants to incorporate specific observations before issuing its opinion. Representatives from the manufacturing and consumer goods sectors, as well as the automotive, metal-mechanical, textile, and personal products industries, will participate.
