The American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham) expects the USMCA review to result in a reduction, not elimination, of the 50% tariff the United States maintains on Mexican steel and aluminum, as reported by Expansión on August 17, 2026. The outcome will define the structural cost the metalworking industry faces for the remainder of the review.
The Section 232 tariff has stood at 50% since June 2025, when it was raised from 25%, and since 2026 it also covers derivative products of both metals, despite USMCA provisions granting preferential access to goods that meet its rules of origin. The measure remains in effect as Mexico and the United States advance through the agreement's review. On Thursday, August 13, Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Casaubón proposed that no new tariffs be imposed during the talks, according to El Financiero. For Mexico, the issue is structural: steel and aluminum are inputs for the export manufacturing industry, the backbone of productive integration with the United States.
AmCham, which groups 1,500 companies generating 8.5 million formal jobs, 21% of national GDP, and 20% of private investment, considers all three possible review scenarios positive, with tariff reduction as the most likely outcome. Mexico presented Washington with a study to support its petition, particularly for the automotive sector: vehicles produced in Japan, South Korea, Germany, or Morocco face a 15% tariff, while Mexican vehicles pay 25%. On steel, the argument rests on the trade deficit: Mexico buys more steel from the United States than it sells back, the official notes. The chamber's goal is a preliminary agreement that recognizes Mexico as the most-favored partner relative to the rest of the world, before specific deals on steel, aluminum, auto parts, and the Section 301 investigations. Analysts consulted by El Financiero view the negotiation as the path to modifying tariffs, against the backdrop of a more defined negotiating stance from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The next milestone is progress on the USMCA review and the outcome of the Section 301 investigations, which will determine whether the tariff reduction materializes or the current rate holds. The negotiation timeline will signal how far Mexico's sought preferential treatment can reach.
This article was written with artificial intelligence assistance based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.