weighted score 4.6 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Mexico
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Mexico-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
5
TVPRA 2024 lists 7 Mexican products including chile peppers, coffee, sugarcane, and tomatoes. Agricultural sector focus — manufacturing exposure is lower.
Worker rights & FOA
4
ITUC rating 4. Significant recent labour reform under USMCA T-MEX provisions. Freedom of association strengthened in law. Improving trajectory.
OHS & audit transparency
4
Moderate OHS framework. Improving under USMCA labour obligations. Some enforcement gaps in maquiladora sector and informal economy.
Food & product safety
4
Moderate RASFF alert rate for food exports to EU (chili, fish, fruit). Generally acceptable enforcement. Growing food safety infrastructure.
Environmental & regulatory
5
EUDR: Mexico exports coffee and cattle/beef with moderate deforestation exposure, particularly in Chiapas and Oaxaca. No active EU IUU card.
Governance & anti-corruption
7
TI CPI 2024: Mexico scores 31/100 — below the 40 threshold. Cartel infiltration of local government documented. Judicial system under reform.
Tariff & preferential access
3
EU-Mexico Global Agreement provides preferential access. Modernized version (2020) expands coverage. Trade provisions partially applied pending full ratification.
Non-tariff barriers
4
Some enhanced controls for agricultural products. Moderate administrative burden at EU border. Better than most developing countries.
Supply chain traceability
5
Moderate EcoVadis coverage in US-facing export sectors. Mixed formal and informal economy. Agricultural supply chains less transparent than manufacturing.
Labour & Social Risk
Labour & Social Risk
- USMCA labour reform
- The USMCA Rapid Response Mechanism has been used multiple times to investigate freedom of association violations at Mexican factories. This has driven genuine improvements — several factories have held free union elections for the first time following US complaints.
- Agricultural labour
- TVPRA listings concentrate in agriculture: tomatoes, chile peppers, sugarcane, coffee. Seasonal agricultural workers in states like Sinaloa and Baja California face documented labour exploitation. Manufacturing sector exposure is lower.
- Maquiladora sector
- Border maquiladora factories have historically had weaker labour enforcement than interior manufacturing. USMCA provisions are gradually improving conditions but enforcement varies by state.
EU Regulatory Exposure
EU Regulatory Exposure
- EU-Mexico agreement
- The EU-Mexico Global Agreement (2000) provides a framework for preferential market access. The modernized agreement (2020) significantly expands trade provisions but awaits full ratification. Partial provisional application covers key trade chapters.
- EUDR exposure
- Mexico exports coffee (significant volume, Chiapas and Oaxaca origin) and cattle products. Coffee supply chains from southern Mexico have documented deforestation links. Due diligence statements required from 2025/2026 for EU-bound coffee.
- EU Forced Labour Regulation
- Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 applies from December 2027. Agricultural products from Mexico with documented TVPRA listings (tomatoes, sugarcane) may face investigation risk.
- Governance risk
- Mexico's CPI score of 31 places it in the high-risk band for governance. Buyers should apply enhanced due diligence on official certifications and customs documentation.