Mexico. The US Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, once again urged Mexico to make “significant progress” in energy consultations under the T-MEC, during a meeting with the head of the Ministry of Economy (HE ), Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez.

Ahead of the third High-Level Economic Dialogue between the United States and Mexico (DEAN), which takes place Friday in Washington, the two officials discussed on Thursday the trade issues that concern the government of the neighboring country to the north.

The SE limited itself to emphasizing on its social network X account that the advancement of the bilateral trade agenda was being discussed. “Both agreed that this dialogue, along with coordinated work, will solidify our North America as the strongest and most competitive region in the world,” the agency said.

For the fourth time in less than a month, the United States has called on Mexico regarding the energy dispute between the two countries. “Tai emphasized the urgency for Mexico to make significant progress in ongoing USMCA consultations regarding Mexico’s energy measures,” the Trade Representative Office (USTR) said.

In early September, the U.S. government asked affected companies to provide sworn documents to move forward in the controversy panel, as reported Reuters.

Later, the northern neighbor’s ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, said a dispute resolution panel was the way to resolve the dispute, while last week deputy trade representative Jayme White , insisted, during a meeting with the undersecretary. of Foreign Trade, Alejandro Encinas Nájera, that the issue be addressed within the framework of the T-MEC, as there are concerns regarding Mexican policy in the energy sector.

Consultations on energy issues were requested by the United States and Canada on July 20 last year. The official deadline for reaching an agreement before the panel closed in October 2022, but the three countries have extended discussions, although US lawmakers have pressured the USTR to move forward with the preferential treatment claim towards Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), as well as the impacts on investments of American and Canadian companies.

Additionally, Tai stressed to Buenrostro the importance of addressing concerns regarding the recent increase in Mexican exports of certain steel and aluminum products to the United States and the lack of transparency regarding Mexican imports of steel and aluminum. aluminum from third countries.

This comes after the Mexican government decided to reduce the compensatory quota on imports of rolled steel plates from Russia from 29.30 percent, as applied since 1996, to a new quota of 12.35 percent.

This decision comes in the context of the war started by Russia in Ukraine and for which it received several trade sanctions.

“Tai and Secretary Buenrostro agreed on the importance of improving steel and aluminum trade monitoring efforts and directed their teams to work toward restoring Mexico’s export monitoring regime,” USTR said.

Finally, the U.S. trade representative expressed “growing concerns” about Mexico’s spectrum pricing methodology, which continues to hinder competition in the telecommunications sector within Mexican territory.