Mexico clamps down on footwear imports
15/08/2025
Economy minister Marcelo Ebrard said the change, ordered by president Claudia Sheinbaum, will take effect in the coming days. IMMEX, designed for raw materials and semi-finished goods for processing and export, has been used to bring in completed shoes without paying duties.
A minimum 25% tariff will apply to such imports. Mr Ebrard told industry representatives in León, Guanajuato, that “temporary imports of footwear will no longer be allowed. If you want to import, pay the taxes.”
Footwear production in Mexico fell 12.8% between 2019 and 2024, while imports surged 159%, according to the Economy Ministry. Much of this trade bypassed export requirements and was sold domestically, often at artificially low declared prices.
The sector employs up to 130,000 people, with León hit hard by low-cost imports, mainly from China. Mr Ebrard said tighter monitoring will follow, targeting technical smuggling and false invoicing.
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