Mexican steel association Canacero said the US is evading a Mexican retaliatory 25 percent imports tariff over certain US steel imports. The tariffs include US-produced steel plates, L and H sections, T finished or hot extrusion sections, drill pipes, galvanized steel, CRC, rebar, among others.
Maximo Vedoya, CEO at Canacero, said despite the Mexican duties imposed in early June, US steel exports to Mexico have not declined. “They kept the same (usual volumes),” he said.
The executive argued the US exporters have been exporting their steel related products through other Mexican temporary imports programs for other industries, including a duty-free import program called IMMEX, the Mexican manufacturing and exporting goods and services imports program.
Another instrument Vedoya claims US exporters are using is Mexico’s “8 rule,” which allows exporters to reduce their tariffs in special cases due to insufficient production in Mexico.