A new amendment from the White House could have a significant impact on Mexico's cross-border e-commerce. The amendment to the executive order of February 1 seeks to apply tariffs on Mexican products in an attempt to address the migration crisis at the southern border of the United States. The amendment directly affects the de minimis regime, which allows the duty-free entry of low-value products into the U.S.
According to the amendment, Mexican products will continue to enter duty-free until the U.S. Department of Commerce reports that there are effective systems in place to process and collect tariffs quickly. This measure could imply that tariffs will eventually come into effect, which would have significant consequences for Mexican businesses that rely on cross-border trade.
The White House has indicated that the new technical amendments to apply tariffs to Mexico are expected to come into effect soon. Although the measure is primarily aimed at Mexico, it will also impact Canada. This could result in thousands of small shipments needing to pay tariffs, which would hinder the competitiveness of Mexican exporters in the United States.
Although the immediate application of tariffs depends on technical factors, the amendment is seen as a serious political and commercial signal. The White House's pressure is interpreted as a maneuver to negotiate immigration and border security issues with Mexico. Experts warn about the implications this measure could have on trade relations between the two countries and on the Mexican economy in general.
