Mexico Temporarily Bans Finished Footwear Imports

Mexico will temporarily ban the importation of finished footwear under the IMMEX program to curb practices that allow companies to avoid taxes and undercut domestic manufacturers.

The measure, announced by Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard and directed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, will take effect in the coming days. It prohibits the use of IMMEX—a program designed for importing raw materials or semi-finished goods for processing and export—to bring in completed shoes without paying duties.

Ebrard said some companies have exploited IMMEX to import finished footwear tariff-free and sell it domestically, calling the practice a clear violation of regulations. “In Mexico, temporary imports of footwear will no longer be allowed. If you want to import, pay the taxes,” he told industry representatives in Leon, Guanajuato, a major hub for shoe production. He added that the minimum tariff for such imports would be 25%.

According to Economy Ministry data, Mexico’s footwear sector shrank 12.8% between 2019 and 2024, while shoe imports rose 159%, much of it entering without proper export conditions and sold domestically.

The industry employs between 120,000 and 130,000 people directly and supports a large network of indirect jobs. León has faced growing pressure from low-cost shoes, mainly from China, often undervalued or brought in through technical smuggling.

Ebrard said the government will strengthen monitoring to combat these practices, which involve declaring artificially low prices to evade tariffs. “Next step: addressing technical smuggling,” he said.

Industry leaders have long raised concerns about contraband footwear. In 2022, Alfredo Padilla Villalpando, then head of Guanajuato’s Footwear Industry Chamber (CICEG), reported that 50 million pairs had entered the state illegally, often sold in street markets with false invoices.