Mexico develops mechanism to prevent forced labor imports

Mexico’s Secretariat of Labor (STPS) is developing a mechanism to detect and prevent the importation of goods produced through forced labor. In coordination with the Secretariat of Economy and the National Customs Agency, the initiative focuses on five priority sectors: textiles, apparel, footwear, aluminum, and solar panels.

As part of a bilateral cooperation agreement, Mexico will exchange information with the United States Office of Customs and Border Protection to ensure timely and efficient monitoring. This follows a USTR investigation that highlighted concerns regarding the effectiveness of measures taken by various countries to prevent forced labor in global supply chains.

The STPS is currently conducting investigations into the metallurgy sector to determine the potential use of forced labor. The new mechanism aims to integrate human rights protections into international trade and combat unfair competition practices.