EFTA and Mexico hold second round of negotiations on review of FTA

Ms Karin Büchel, Minister and Head of the Free Trade Agreements Division at the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs of Switzerland, acted as the EFTA spokesperson, while the Mexican delegation was headed by Mr César Guerra Guerrero, Minister Representative of the Ministry of Economy of Mexico to the EU. 

 

The negotiations between the four EFTA States and Mexico had been launched at Ministerial level on 22 January 2016 in Davos, Switzerland, followed by the first full round of negotiations in May 2016 in Geneva. During this second round, delegations discussed the update and development of all areas covered by the current Agreement, as well as the possible inclusion of chapters on Trade and Sustainable Development, Regulatory Coherence and Cooperation. 

 

The third round of negotiations is foreseen to take place in Geneva in early 2017. 

 

Merchandise trade between the EFTA States and Mexico reached USD 3.6 billion in 2015. EFTA’s top exports to Mexico include  pharmaceutical products, machinery and mechanical appliances, clocks and watches, and organic chemicals. EFTA imports from Mexico mainly consist  of precious metals, pharmaceutical products, and mineral fuels and oil.