Mexico to Propose 16-Year USMCA Extension on July 1: Ebrard

The Mexican government will formally propose extending the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by 16 additional years at the virtual trilateral meeting called for July 1, 2026, Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard announced on June 23. President Claudia Sheinbaum will sign the letter formalizing Mexico's position.

Under USMCA rules, the three governments must communicate on that date whether they support extending the agreement. "Your worst-case scenario is that it continues for 10 years," Ebrard stated, noting that no country had submitted the six-month notice required to formally initiate withdrawal. Mexico decided to advance conversations with the United States to reduce uncertainty and protect national interests, the secretary explained. The treaty's energy chapter, which defines the conditions for participation by U.S. and Canadian companies in Mexico's electricity sector and establishes disciplines for state-owned enterprises such as Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), will be one of the central topics of the review.

The USMCA, in force since July 2020, includes provisions guaranteeing market access in Mexico's energy sector and establishing disciplines for state-owned enterprises. Cross-border natural gas trade, flowing through pipeline networks from the United States, and investment conditions for electricity generation depend on the framework that emerges from the review. Ebrard cited the complexity of the negotiations, noting that discussions on steel products for technologies such as robots and drones took several hours, anticipating an equally detailed process for the sectoral chapters, including the energy chapter. The next negotiating round is scheduled for July 20 on Mexican soil.

The outcome of this process will define the conditions under which energy investment flows between North America and Mexico over the coming decade. The July 1 meeting formally activates the review mechanism; the July 20 round in Mexico will mark the start of substantive chapter-by-chapter discussions.

This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence based on verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.