US organizations accuse Mexico of not adhering to intellectual property commitments under the T-MEC agreement, particularly regarding pharmaceuticals.
In the annual review process of the T-MEC known as Special 301 for 2026, U.S. business organizations have raised concerns that Mexico is not meeting its commitments in terms of intellectual property rights, especially within the pharmaceutical sector. They have urged the U.S. Trade Representative's Office (USTR) to adopt a tougher stance against Mexico to address these violations. This announcement comes ahead of a public hearing scheduled for February 18, where these matters are expected to be discussed in more detail.
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) have pointed out that despite some formal advancements by Mexico in protecting industrial property, significant structural deficiencies remain. These deficiencies negatively impact the effective protection of patents and regulatory certainty guaranteed under the T-MEC agreement. The organizations highlighted that enforcement at borders and overall regulatory improvement is necessary for Mexico to fulfill its commitments under the agreement.
While the NAM acknowledged Mexico's initiatives to enhance intellectual property protection measures, they emphasized that the effectiveness of these measures is limited due to budget and staffing constraints. The ongoing concerns expressed by U.S. organizations indicate a continued tension in economic relations between the two countries, particularly as both parties navigate the complexities of international trade agreements and their stipulations regarding intellectual property rights.
