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How will the new EU-Mexico agreement impact the pork industry?

The EU and Mexico have finalized negotiations to modernize their Global Agreement, establishing a more ambitious framework for strengthening their political and economic relations.

The trade pillar of the Agreement will substantially boost an already-thriving trade relationship: EU-Mexico trade in goods reached €82 billion in 2023, while two-way trade in services reached €22 billion in 2022, making Mexico the EU's second-biggest trading partner in Latin America.

Specifically, EU agri-food exports to Mexico reached €2.3 billion in 2023. The agreement will help boost these exports, as zero tariffs will be applied to almost all key EU export interests, either upon entry into force or within 7 to 10 years of the agreement's implementation.

The agreement will create a wealth of opportunities for EU farmers and agri-food exporters as Mexico is a net importer of EU agri-food products. It will:

Remove tariffs as high as 100% on important EU export products, such as cheese, poultry, pork, pasta, apples, jams and marmalades as well as chocolate and wine;
Expand the protection of iconic, traditional European products (Geographical Indications) to 568; and
Make agri-food exports quicker and cheaper through simpler procedures.

The agreement also includes binding commitments on sustainability, labor rights, and environmental protection, in line with the European objectives of responsible production. This not only benefits the agri-food sector, but also promotes sustainable practices that increase competitiveness.

Pork products

In the specific case of pork, the tariffs that Mexico could apply to pork imports from the European Union could reach a maximum of 45%, depending on the type of product. With the new agreement, these tariffs will be reduced to 0% for almost all pork exports. For specific cuts, such as pork loins, there will be an initial duty-free quota of 10,000 tons.