Economic complementarity agreement BETWEEN argentina and mexico
(Goods)

Questions and Replies

        The following communication is being circulated at the request of the delegations of Argentina and Mexico.

The document reproduces the questions addressed to the Parties and the replies submitted.

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Questions from the delegation of Thailand

Information based on the factual presentation (_WT/COMTD/RTA5/1), specifically paragraph 3.1.2 Liberalization of trade and tariff lines and paragraph 3.1.3 Liberalization schedule.

Question 1:

Paragraphs 3.1.2 Liberalization of trade and tariff lines and 3.1.3 Liberalization schedule do not indicate future commitments regarding the elimination or reduction of import tariffs under the Agreement. Thailand would like to seek clarification from Mexico and Argentina on whether such tariff liberalization is planned under the Agreement and, if so, what form they will take?

Reply from the Parties: The Economic Complementation Agreement No. 6 (ACE 6) between Argentina and Mexico establishes tariff preferences for certain goods. Over time, the scope of goods covered has been expanded through several additional protocols.

Each additional protocol incorporated new products, with tariff benefits and established specific rules of origin, tariff reduction timelines, and other trade conditions.

There are no binding future commitments to incorporate more goods, the coverage expansions and new concessions depend on the willingness of both parties and are formalized through additional protocols negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Each additional protocol reflects specific agreements reached at a given time, but does not impose an obligation to further expand the treaty in the future.

Information based on the factual presentation (_WT/COMTD/RTA5/1), specifically table 4.1 Argentina and Mexico: Participation in other RTAs (notified and non-notified in force), as of 15 January 2025.

Question 2:

Currently, which countries does MERCOSUR plan to negotiate with, or is it in negotiations with any countries? What is the latest status of its FTA developments?

Reply from the Parties: In MERCOSUR, decisions on which partners to negotiate with are discussed within the External Relations Group (GRE, Grupo de Relacionamiento Externo). This group is responsible for analyzing potential trade agreements and defining negotiation strategies with external partners.

The GRE evaluates various factors, such as economic complementarities, trade flows, and strategic interests, before recommending new negotiations. These discussions involve consensus-building among MERCOSUR member states, as trade agreements must be approved collectively.

MERCOSUR is always in conversation with many partners, and always discussing both internally and with potential partners the best way to expand trade. It usually establishes an agenda to prioritize and balance the work burdens.

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