Mexico is a large state in North America bordering the United States of America, Guatemala and Belize. At the same time, the country has access to two oceans at once: the Pacific and the Atlantic. Trade relations between Russia and Mexico are steadily developing, despite of the decline in the pandemic 2020. The trade turnover between Russia and Mexico amounted to more than USD 2 billion, but decreased by 16.62% compared to 2019.

Features of import from Mexico

The main groups of imported goods from Mexico include equipment, machinery, non-ferrous and ferrous metals, including precious metals, food products, pharmaceuticals and alcoholic beverages.

Many Mexican goods are unique products of high quality. In addition to the above goods, tequila, rum, cosmetics, various medicines, vitamins, textile products, seeds of varietal plants, guitars, and fruits are brought to Russia from Mexico.

Mexico is a developing country, so if the conditions are met, the importer can use the right to a reduced rate of customs duty. The rate of 0.75% of the base rate applies to the import of tobacco products, fruits, jewelry, carpets, wool, spices, nuts and other goods. To use the preferences for customs payments, you need the original certificate of origin Form A, which is presented at the customs clearance of product.

Special conditions apply when importing:

• plant products. For customs clearance, a phytosanitary certificate of the country of origin will be required. In addition, the goods can be checked for quality and safety in the phytosanitary laboratory at the customs point. The manufacturer must be registered in the Rosselkhoznadzor register. The list of regulated products is contained in the decision of the CCC dated June 18, 2010 No. 318 "On ensuring plant quarantine in the Eurasian Economic Union";

• tobacco. Tobacco products are classified as excisable, therefore they are cleared for customs at posts subordinated to the excise customs. Before customs clearance, you must pay the excise duty and apply excise stamps on the packaging. From July 1, 2020, mandatory labeling of tobacco products with CIMs - special two-dimensional codes - has been introduced. To generate codes, you need to register on the Chestny ZNAK website, fill out a questionnaire for each product, and install the necessary software;

• alcoholic beverages. In 2021, labeling of alcoholic beverages is mandatory. Moreover, marking with excise stamps has been canceled, but federal special stamps have been introduced. All alcoholic products for domestic consumption are subject to FSM labeling, except for beer, beer drinks, cider, Poiret and mead. The FSM encrypted EGAIS information and contains a two-dimensional code. FSM is issued electronically through EGAIS;

• costume jewelry. It is not issued at all customs posts. It is necessary to preliminarily agree on customs clearance with customs. If the jewelry contains precious metals or precious stones, it is released at the customs posts of the Central Excise Customs. In addition, the importer must register with the Assay Office and issue a registration notification and registration card. There is no excise duty for jewelry. If precious stones and metals were not used in the manufacture of jewelry, then it can be processed at any customs post.
  

Features of export from Russia

Mexico ranks 49th in terms of the volume of goods in Russian exports with a share of 0.3383%. Medicines, metal products, rubber, caoutchouc, and optical instruments are brought to Mexico from Russia. Goods are delivered to Mexico in the form of groupage or general cargo. Export of any goods is possible, including perishable, refrigerated, oversized, excisable and dangerous.

There are 49 customs offices in Mexico. The busiest of them are the maritime Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico, the maritime Manzanillo in the Pacific, Mexico City International Airport and Laredo on the border with the United States.

A company wishing to import goods into Mexico must be registered with the Tax Administration and also with the register of importers. When importing some goods, it is necessary to register with industry registers. This applies to product categories such as:

• various chemical products and explosives;

• edged weapons and accessories;

• devices, machines and devices related to weapons;

• radioactive nuclear substances;

• ammunition;firearms.

Also, the exporter needs to register with the Federal Register of Taxpayers.

To take advantage of tariff preferences when exporting to Mexico, you need to present a certificate of origin. When exporting animals or plant products, sanitary requirements are observed.

Categories and types of exported and imported goods

The following groups of predominant goods should be noted. These are:

• metal products and metals – 67.22% (HS code 72-83);

• chemical products – 23.53% (HS code 28-40);

• wood and pulp and paper industry products-2.85% (HS code 44-49);

• food products, agricultural raw materials – 2.13% (HS code 01-24);

• mineral products – 1.94% (HS code 25-27);

• equipment, transport and other machinery – 1.86% (HS code 84-90).

The increase is observed in the export of fertilizers, aluminum, pharmaceutical products, wood, various equipment and mechanical devices (HS code 30, 31, 44, 76, 84).

The main volume of imports fell on:

• equipment, transport and other machines - 71.65% ( HS code 84-90);

• agricultural raw materials and foodstuffs - 11.50% (HS code 01-24);

• metal products and metals - 8.26% (HS code 72-83);

• chemical products - 6.30% (HS code 28-40).

In 2020, the supply of imported alcohol, soft drinks and vinegar, electrical equipment, tanning and dyeing extracts and other goods belonging to the corresponding group (HS code 22, 32, 85) increased.

The imports of copper and copper products, pharmaceutical products, ferrous metal products, land vehicles, tools, ore, slag and ash, nuclear reactors, boilers and other goods included in this group (HS code 26, 30, 73, 74, 84, 90).

Features of cargo transportation from Mexico

The delivery of goods from Mexico is carried out mainly by sea or air transport.

Sea transportation is preferable for the delivery of heavy, oversized or bulky cargo. In this way, you can also deliver a small consignment as part of a consolidated cargo in a container.

General cargo is most often sent by sea. There are 49 ports in Mexico, but only a few are used for import deliveries to Russia: Tampico, Veracruz, Acapulco and Salina Cruz. Import cargo arrives at the Big Port of St. Petersburg, Bronka, Ust-Luga, if it is necessary to deliver the cargo to the southern regions, then to the port of Novorossiysk, if to the Far East, then to the port of Vladivostok. Multimodal routes with congestion are often used in the ports of Riga, Kotka, Klaipeda.

Sea delivery to a European port takes approximately 40-45 days, sea delivery to a Russian port takes 35-45 days.

To save transit time and financial resources, they combine different delivery methods. This method is called multimodal transportation. For example, cargo is delivered first by sea, then by road, rail or air; or first transported by air and then by rail or car.

Benefits of air delivery

Air transportation can significantly reduce delivery time and is optimal for small consignments of goods. It is quite expensive to deliver cargo by air, but sometimes, it is the only option for the transportation of valuable, perishable and urgent cargo. Plane is often used to deliver excisable goods such as alcohol and silver.

Mexico has five international airports:

• Mexico City;

• Cancun;

• Merida Manuel Cressensio Rejon;

• Puerto Vallarta;

• Juan Alvarez airport. 

International cargo flights depart from Mexico City Benito Juarez Airport. Direct cargo flights arrive at Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo airports. Air delivery from Mexico City to Moscow takes about 2-4 days.

SB Cargo has been accredited as an IATA Freight Agent, therefore we offer more favorable rates for transportation, expedited cargo handling and booking of an application, as well as guarantee high quality of services.

Customs clearance

Customs clearance is compulsory for export and import cargo. The procedure includes the submission of commercial, shipping and permits, filling out a declaration, determining HS codes, payment of duty and VAT, customs duty, customs value control and other operations

The delay may occur due to non-compliance with non-tariff regulation measures, in the absence of permits, incorrect filling of the declaration. Representatives of the SB Cargo company are ready to assist in the import and export of goods, namely, logistics, customs clearance, preparation of transport and permits, certification of goods. To make the import of goods from Mexico as easy as possible, you can order an import support service. Detailed information can be obtained by phone.