Bloomberg reports that Mexico will impose import tariffs on some US products in reaction to the US government's "failure to restore a program allowing Mexican trucks to operate north of the border."
Products on the list include some US pork cuts, cheeses, sweetcorn, ketchup, some fruits, soy sauce, and sunglasses. The tariffs on the products range from 5 percent to 25 percent.
This is the second round of tariffs imposed by Mexico recently. Congress "ended a pilot program allowing Mexican trucks to deliver goods in" the US and Mexico "responded in March 2009 by putting tariffs of 10 to 45 percent of U.S. goods including vegetables, wine, juices, sunglasses, and toothpaste."
This dispute has been ongoing since 1995 when the US "refused to implement a cross-boarder plan agreed to under the North American Free Trade Agreement amid opposition from U.S. labor groups."
US Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, stated that he is working with Congress to resolve the dispute. Some groups, however, are opposed to the trucking provisions of the trade deal.
To read the Bloomberg story, click here.
Posted: 08/19/2010
