Both the United States and Canada are interested in reaching a prompt solution to the energy issue, the official added: “it is something that bothers them and us. To the extent that we are unburdening the points, it will be very productive and we will continue advancing”.
How are the T-MEC energy consultations going?
Within the framework of her appearance before senators, the head of the Ministry of Economy (SE), Raquel Buenrostro, explained how the process of consultations on energy matters between Mexico and its partners in the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T- MEC).
Responding to questions from opposition senators, Secretary Buenrostro explained how the consultations are carried out and where the North American trade agreement partners are in the process.
He explained that the United States and Canada, being the applicants, delivered a list of questions to the Mexican government regarding energy policy, and the changes that have been carried out in the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“Mexico answers those questions. The counterpart analyzes the answers, sees if they are satisfactory or not; asked a second round of questions. They give him an answer again and, with that second round of answers, the United States and Canada decided that they were not satisfactory, ”explained the official.
The deadline to complete the consultations ended on October 3, four days before Raquel Buenrostro took office as head of Economy.
Buenrostro highlighted the sensitivity of Mexico’s trading partners to the changes that occurred in the SE; that the United States is a priority partner for Mexico, and vice versa.
He added that Mexico requested two weeks to “review the status in which we found ourselves, and we already had meetings with the ambassador (Katherine) Tai and with Canada.”
Clarity
Raquel Buenrostro assured that both the United States and Canada are interested in transparency and clarity about the rules of the game under which companies will operate in Mexico, as well as that “legislation does not contravene trade treaties and agreements signed by Mexico.”
Buenrostro specified that the United States trade representative told him that Mexico had made a “partial delivery” of information.
“It turned out that Economy did not quote, or did not ask for all the information from the energy sector because, sometimes, they want to give answers of a legal nature. And this is not a legal issue, in the end they are commercial agreements in which we have to come to fruition”, Buenrostro pointed out.
In addition to the consultations, the secretary continued responding, several working groups were established to follow up on different issues. She specified that there were four blocks, only one of which is related to the legal part; the other three have to do with paperwork and procedures, as well as diesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The job of the Mexican government “is to explain the law and how they are going to occupy it.”
Regarding the legal issue, Raquel Buenrostro pointed out that it is now in the Supreme Court.
“Right now, as the 2014 law is being applied, when it becomes clear to them, they will see that there is no topic of discussion because there is no law of 2021, but of 2014,” he clarified.
He insisted that Mexican legislation does not contravene any trade agreement that Mexico has signed.
