● The lack of precise regulations in the application of the RRLM remains a critical issue.
● We make a call to the Mexican government to work jointly with the private sector to outline adjustments.
Mexico City, October 2, 2025.- As the formal review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) approaches in 2026, the Mexican business sector voices its concern and calls of greater clarity and regulation in the application of the Rapid Response Mechanism (RR) in labor matters.
Eduardo Arrocha, an international trade expert and consulting lawyer at De la Vega & Martínez Rojas, emphasized that the next review of the agreement is not a renegotiation, but an opportunity to adjust and correct the way in which it operates. “The interested parties, including chambers of commerce, businessmen and unions have until June 1 of 2026 to submit their recommendations within a term of 60 calendar days from its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) for the submission of proposals in Mexico.”
In this sense, he said that the main concern that the business sector has in regard to labor matters relates to the use of the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism, designed to safeguard freedom of association and collective bargaining. “While the United States has been the main user of this mechanism, with more than thirty complaints, there is growing concern in Mexico that the RRLM is being used in situations that go beyond its original purpose.”
In this sense, the expert stated that “we have seen cases in which the Labor Mechanism has been abused, being applied to situations that are unrelated to freedom of association and collective bargaining. This leaves companies in a state of defenselessness, without having the necessary preciseness in regard to the accusations being made in order to be able to defend themselves properly, creating economic and public image problems.”
Even though Mexico has complied with its labor obligations within the framework of Annex 23-A, including the labor reform and the legitimization of collective bargaining agreements, the absence of precise regulations in the application of the RRLM continues to be a critical point. Therefore, “we call to the Mexican government to work jointly with the private sector to propose adjustments or clear regulations in order to avoid litigation in regard to matters that are unrelated to freedom of association and collective bargaining under this mechanism.”
He pointed out that the Mexican business sector is confident that the review of the USMCA will be an opportunity to fortify the agreement and to ensure a fair and equitable framework for all parties, protecting labor rights without undermining legal certainty for companies.
