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bandera México México: Apertura internacional

Foreign Trade in Figures | Trade Compliance | Standards

Foreign Trade in Figures

Mexico is one of the countries that most depends on foreign trade.  Foreign trade represents around 60% of its GDP.  Mexico has 11 free-trade agreements with 43 countries of the world. It is a member of NAFTA - the free-trade agreement that unifies the United States, Mexico and Canada, since 1994. The country signed a free trade agreement with the European Union in 2000 and a commercial agreement with Japan came into force in April 2005.

The United States buys 80% of Mexico's exports. Its main export partners are the NAFTA and the European Union. The main export goods are electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, mineral fuels, oil and machinery.  Its three main import partners are the NAFTA, China and Japan.  It mainly imports electrical and electronics equipment, machinery, vehicles and plastic products.

In 2011, Mexico reduced its trade deficit (1,166 milion USD compared to 3,009 milion USD in 2010). Exports rose by 17.2% and imports by 16.4%. 

 
Foreign Trade Indicators 20072008200920102011
Imports of Goods (million USD) 290,246318,304241,515310,618361,067
Exports of Goods (million USD) 271,821291,265229,712298,361349,676
Imports of Services (million USD) 23,22825,00121,40221,81825,215
Exports of Services (million USD) 17,59818,47415,42014,93514,881
Imports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 7.12.8-18.218.5-
Exports of Goods and Services (Annual % Change) 5.70.5-14.824.9-
Imports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 29.530.229.030.9-
Exports of Goods and Services (in % of GDP) 27.928.027.629.8-
Trade Balance (million USD) -10,074-17,261-4,681-3,009-
Trade Balance (Including Service) (million USD) -16,529-24,016---
Foreign Trade (in % of GDP) 57.458.256.660.7-

Source: WTO - World Trade Organization ; World Bank , Last Available Data

 

Main Partner Countries

Main Customers
(% of Exports)
2010
United States 80.1%
Canada 3.6%
China 1.4%
Spain 1.3%
Brazil 1.3%
See More Countries 12.4%
Main Suppliers
(% of Imports)
2010
United States 48.2%
China 15.1%
Japan 5.0%
South Korea 4.2%
Germany 3.7%
See More Countries 23.7%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

 

Main Products

Main Exports
(% of Exports)
2010
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 12.0%
Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally...Motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, incl. station wagons and racing cars (excl. motor vehicles of heading 8702) 7.7%
Television receivers, whether or not incorporating...Television receivers, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receivers or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus; video monitors and video projectors 6.8%
Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles...Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles for the transport of ten or more persons, motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special purpose motor vehicles of heading 8701 to 8705, n.e.s. 4.6%
Automatic data processing machines and units...Automatic data processing machines and units thereof; magnetic or optical readers, machines for transcribing data onto data media in coded form and machines for processing such data, n.e.s. 4.6%
See More Products 64.2%
Main Imports
(% of Imports)
2010
Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous...Petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals (excl. crude); preparations containing >= 70% by weight of petroleum oils or of oils obtained from bituminous minerals, these oils being the basic constituents of the preparations, n.e.s.; waste oils containing mainly petroleum or bituminous minerals 6.1%
Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles...Parts and accessories for tractors, motor vehicles for the transport of ten or more persons, motor cars and other motor vehicles principally designed for the transport of persons, motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special purpose motor vehicles of heading 8701 to 8705, n.e.s. 4.9%
Parts suitable for use solely or principally with...Parts suitable for use solely or principally with transmission and reception apparatus for radio-telephony, radio-telegraphy, radio-broadcasting, television, television cameras, still image video cameras and other video camera recorders, radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus or radio remote control apparatus, n.e.s. 3.8%
Electronic integrated circuits and microassembliesElectronic integrated circuits and microassemblies 3.6%
Electrical apparatus for line telephony or line...Electrical apparatus for line telephony or line telegraphy, incl. line telephone sets with cordless handsets and telecommunication apparatus for carrier-current line systems or for digital line systems; videophones; parts thereof 2.6%
See More Products 79.0%

Source: Comtrade, Last Available Data

 
 

To go further, check out our service Flujos de importación-exportación.

 

Exchange Rate System

Local Currency
Mexican Peso (MXN)
Exchange Rate Regime
Currency exchange controls were suspended in 1991. Today, there is a free conversion of currencies, as well as the right to transfer profits and capital without limitations of amount or time.
Level of Currency Instability
Due to the financial crisis in The United States, investors are getting worried that the crisis will continue and create a recession in the Mexican economy.
Exchange Rate on :

 
Monetary Indicators 20062007200820092010
Mexican Peso (MXN) - Average Annual Exchange Rate For 1 USD 10.9010.9311.1313.5112.64

Source: World Bank - Last Available Data.

 
 

Find out all the exchange rates daily on our service Conversor de divisas.

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Trade Compliance

International Conventions
Member of World Trade Organisation
Member of OECD
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party of the International Coffee Agreement 2001
Main International Economic Cooperation
Free trade agreements with the European Union, North America, the European Free Trade Association, and trade agreements with Mercosur, the Northern Triangle, Japan and Israel.
The country have signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).
For further information, consult the Mexican Trade Agreements.
Party of the ATA Convention on Temporary Admissions and Use of the Carnets
Yes

As a Reminder, the ATA is a System Allowing the Free Movement of Goods Across Frontiers and Their Temporary Admission Into a Customs Territory With Relief From Duties and Taxes. The Goods Are Covered By a Single Document Known as the ATA Carnet That is Secured By an International Guarantee System.
Look Up the Other Member Countries And Read the Web Pages of the World Customs Organization Devoted to the ATA Carnet.
Party of the TIR Convention
Yes

As a Reminder, the TIR Convention and its Transit Regime Contribute to the Facilitation of International Transport, Especially International Road Transport, Not Only in Europe and the Middle East, But Also in Other Parts of the World, Such as Africa and Latin America.
The UNCTAD Website Allows You to Read the TIR Convention, See the List of Member Countries And to Find Further Information.
Accompanying Documents For Imports
Goods shipped to Mexico must include the following documents:

 - Single Administrative Document (DUA)
- Commercial invoice.  Three copies, written, in preference in Spanish.
- A phytosanitary certificate for fruits, vegetables and seeds.
- A sanitary certificate for meats.
- Form EUR1 to benefit of a preferential rate, applied to exports of the European Union.
- Certificate of radioactive contamination.  Mandatory for dairy products in particular.
- Free trade certificate for cosmetics. Issued by the Ministry of Health of Mexico.
- Documents related to the transportation and packaging lists.

To go further, check out our service Identifique los documentos de embarque para su operación.

Free Zones
Cancun and the free zones calles where the "Maquiladoras" are situated.
For Further Information
Mexican Customs Official Website
National Market Information and Integration System
Non Tariff Barriers
Since Mexico joined the GATT in 1986, there are less products that are subject to an import license. For the products that are still regulated, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of the Economy .  There is still a large number of particular conditions for textile products.  About 10% of imported goods are checked in detail, especially in the automobile, chemical, pharmaceutical, metallurgical and agricultural sectors.
Origin regulations,  allow goods to benefit from reductions of duty taxes (especially for textiles). However these rules have become more rigorous since Mexico signed the North America Free Trade Agreement NAFTA or TLCAN (in Spanish) . 
The Annex 401 refers to the origin regulations which is part of the country's national legislation.
Sectors or Products For Which Commercial Disagreements Have Been Registered With the WTO
Can be consulted on the site World Trade Organization.
Assessment of Commercial Policy
Mexico’s commercial policy, as seen by the WTO
Barriers to exchanges, inventoried by the United States
Barriers to exchanges, inventoried by the EU
Sanitary and phytosanitary barriers, inventoried by the EU

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Learn more about How to Export to Mexico on Globaltrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.
 
 

Standards

National Standards Organizations
Standards General Direction
Integration in the International Standards Network
Mexico is a member of International Organization for Standardization, International Electrotechnical Commission, International Union of Telecommunication and Pan-American Commission for Technical Standards.
Obligation to Use Standards
The Mexican Official Standards (NOM) are mandatory. They are issued by government agencies. There are voluntary standards (NMX.CC) that can be applied on local, regional or national levels, these are the equivalent to the ISO 9000 standards.  Certificates and laboratory analysis are recognized by the National System of Accreditation and by The National Laboratory of the Construction .
Classification of Standards
Official stamp "NOM" with the name of the ministry of state that issued it.
Assessment of the System of Standardization
Mexicans respect the standards because consumers appreciate them and consider them as a signal of quality and safety for the products and services.  However, the national standards are less known than the Standard ISO 9000.
Online Consultation of Standards
Catalog of Official Mexican Standards (NOM's)
Certification Organizations
Association of Standards and Certification
Mexican Institute of Standard and Certification
Electronics Standards and Certification
Organization of National Standards and Certification for Building and Construction

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Last Updates: May 2012

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