Joao Carapeto, president of the Mexican Association of Innovative Medical Device Industries (AMID), assured that a TMEC without changes and maintaining the zero tariff for exports will unlock an investment package for 400 million dollars for the expansion of manufacturing plants for medical instruments and equipment in Mexico.
“The USMCA has worked by generating value for the countries of the economic bloc, so we want a zero tariff policy within the economic bloc and improvements in the review of the USMCA,” declared the businessman.
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He commented that between three and four medical device manufacturers are interested in continuing to invest in Mexico, and that there is a capital pool of between 300 and 400 million dollars ready to be injected into the Mexican economy.
“If a good agreement is not reached in the review of the USMCA, the biggest penalty is the patient from the United States, Canada and Mexico, because production costs will increase,” he said.
“There is maximum interest in reaching a better trade agreement, after the USMCA review scheduled for mid-2026,” he said.
Carlos Jiménez, treasurer of the Mexican Association of Innovative Medical Device Industries, said that it is vital that the governments of Mexico, the United States and Canada maintain the free tariff on exports in the economic bloc.
He said that the main request is not to generate tariff barriers in the trade of medical devices in North America.
Joao Carapeto recalled that Mexico will export more than 22 billion dollars in medical devices to the United States, despite the uncertainty generated by the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
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96 percent of the exports made by the medical device industry are to the United States, a nation that will be affected if it imposes a tariff or changes the USMCA rules, commented the AMID president.
At the end of 2025, Mexico will be the largest exporter of medical devices, with 175,000 qualified jobs on the border with the United States and an industry valued at 8,354 million dollars, according to the organization.
The business leader commented that the Ministry of Economy has been open to listening to proposals for the review of the TMEC.
“As an association, we have had several meetings with the Ministry of Economy and the Senate to give our perspective on how important the TMEC is for the medical device industry, as well as the opportunities created by an improvement in the review of the TMEC,” said Joao Carapeto.
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Among the AMID’s proposals for the review of the USMCA are improving regulatory convergence, guaranteeing commercial and customs certainty with clear rules of origin, greater transparency in public purchases, and facilitating the importation of medical equipment for research.
Ana Riquelme Francistain, executive director of the Mexican Association of Innovative Medical Device Industries, pointed out that Mexico has managed to be competitive compared to the rest of the world, but if it is about delivering “a letter to Santa Claus” we would like to improve the USMCA.
