enero 23, 2026

Mexico approves the United Kingdom's accession protocol to the CPTPP

On January 20, 2026, Mexico published the Decree approving the Protocol of Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). In this post, we share the most relevant information about the implications of this approval and trade between the United Kingdom and Mexico.

Implications of the approval

With its ratification of the CPTPP, the United Kingdom became the twelfth member of the TIPAT in July 2023. At this time, Mexico already provides tariff preferences to the other parties—Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam—under this free trade agreement (FTA)—.

Mexico had not formally accepted the United Kingdom’s accession, so products from that country could not access the afore mentioned benefits. However, Mexico’s approval allows it and is key to boosting trade growth between these countries. This step will make it possible to deepen integration in supply chains and offer certainty to investors in both countries. This progress will also allow for the diversification of trade toward high value-added sectors such as automotive and advanced manufacturing, as explained below.

Mexico-United Kingdom trade relations

Trade between Mexico and the United Kingdom is at a strategic point for strengthening. Currently, bilateral trade amounts to £6.1 billion annually, a significant figure. When the United Kingdom was part of the European Union, its goods enjoyed the same tariff preferences as other countries under the FTA between Mexico and the European Union. Following Brexit, Mexico and the United Kingdom signed a trade continuity agreement for strategic sectors, such as automotive, pharmaceutical, textile, and financial.

Mexico currently has FTAs with the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) —which includes Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein—. In practice, this means that Mexico enjoys tariff preferences with virtually all commercially relevant countries in Europe. With the approval of the United Kingdom’s accession to the CPTPP, Mexico consolidates preferential access, strengthening its position as a strategic partner for European trade and investment.

Main products trade between Mexico and the United Kingdom

In terms of trade relations, the Ministry of Economy reports —according to data from the Mexico’s Central Bank (Banxico)— that Mexico exported 2,941 million USD in goods to the United Kingdom in 2025. In turn, imports from that country amounted to 2,038 million USD during the same period.

On the one hand, cars and other vehicles for passenger transport were the most imported products from the United Kingdom to Mexico. These products accounted for 7.16% of total imports from that country. Other notable goods include X-ray equipment, medicines, auto parts, and machinery:

On the other hand, Mexico mainly exported automobiles, turbojets, turboprop engines, telephones, machinery, and medical devices. This implies that trade between the two countries is concentrated in the automotive, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Consequently, the approval of the accession protocol has the potential to favorably increase the exchange of goods and provide security to import and export companies in both Mexico and the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom's investment in Mexico

According to the Ministry of Economy, the United Kingdom’s cumulative investment in Mexico in 2022 amounts to 18,49 million USD —the most recent figure available—. This represents 2.8% of total foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico. Furthermore, this figure increased by 823 million USD in 2024.

As an additional note, the convergence between the UK’s industrial strategy and Plan Mexico reinforces these opportunities, particularly in areas such as healthcare, financial services, and education. Recent developments such as AstraZeneca’s expansion and Revolut’s arrival in Mexico confirm the potential of this relationship in a global environment of geopolitical and economic change.

Import tariffs and origin certification scheme

The Mexican internal decree concerning the applicable import tariffs for goods originating in the United Kingdom under the CPTPP has not been published yet. However, products from the United Kingdom will enjoy tariff preferences on virtually all products exported to Mexico. It is a matter of waiting for the internal decree to be published to find out whether there will be immediate tariff exemption for all goods or whether there will be a phased scheme, such as that applicable to Vietnam.

With regard to the certification scheme for goods, Mexico’s internal decree setting out the origin certification guidelines that the United Kingdom will apply under the CPTPP has not yet been published, so a period of regulatory uncertainty remains. However, exports from the United Kingdom to other CPTPP countries that have previously approved their accession have been in accordance with a self-certification scheme. In other words, UK producers and exporters themselves issue certificates of origin so that their goods can enjoy preferences in other CPTPP Member States. This information will be key for exporters and importers to anticipate this requirement.