COMCE Northeast Unveils Border Trade Strategy "Regionalization 2025-2030"

The Northeast Chapter of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment, and Technology (COMCE) presented its “Regionalization 2025-2030” strategy to business leaders, trade organizations, and authorities from Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas. The plan aims to streamline trade processes under the USMCA framework, focusing on security and operational efficiency.

During an event in Laredo, Texas, Andrés Franco Zaldívar, General Director of COMCE, highlighted the initiative’s priority challenges, including the modernization of customs procedures and enhanced binational coordination. A key proposal involves aligning Mexico’s Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCEM) with processes from the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) to expedite procedures and reduce inconsistencies.

Other challenges discussed included the need for increased customs personnel to manage the growing demands of the manufacturing sector and logistics services. Eduardo Garza Robles, President of COMCE Northeast Chapter Laredo, presented a comprehensive report on solutions implemented at international bridges connecting Nuevo Laredo and Laredo to mitigate contingencies and optimize trade flows.

Additional topics included a proposal by Martín Alcalá Salgado, Deputy Consul of Mexico in Laredo, for a technical committee to evaluate sustainable solutions and address the environmental impact of cross-border trade. Jerry Maldonado, a transportation leader from Laredo, discussed the challenges of transitioning to electric trucks, citing high costs and limited infrastructure.

Laredo Mayor Víctor Treviño underscored the importance of strengthening collaboration with municipal and state authorities in Tamaulipas, emphasizing the critical role of rail crossings and international bridges as drivers of regional commerce.

The event also welcomed new members to the chapter, including Alejandro Sánchez Garza e Hijos Customs Agents, Semillero Online, INOVA Forwarding, INDEX Nuevo Laredo, CHROMALOX, and Jorge E. Treviño Salinas Customs Agency.

Garza emphasized the need for ongoing dialogue with authorities and strategic partners to enhance the region's competitiveness. The agreements reached during the meeting will be presented to key leaders, including General André Foullon Van Lissum, head of ANAM, and the Governor of Tamaulipas, reinforcing COMCE’s role as a catalyst for development in the Dos Laredos region.