Seán Kenny
Question:470. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation his plans to hold a trade mission to Mexico; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14030/14]
View answerTuesday, 25 March 2014
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Total trade with Mexico is just over €1 billion. Goods exports to the country increased by 55% from €445 million to €690 million between 2009 and 2013. This pace of growth, in the context of a very difficult global trading environment, suggests that, in the future, Mexico has the potential to become a very important market for Irish exporters. In the Government Review of the Trade, Tourism and Investment Strategy 2010 – 2015, published last month, Mexico has been designated as an exploratory and high potential market.
In this context Mexico is an attractive developing market for a number of the client companies of Enterprise Ireland. These opportunities are very sector specific and the agency is working, one to one, with companies to develop business in their areas of interest.
To underpin this work, it is planned to have a Trade Mission to Mexico in October this year. It is intended that a range of companies in the areas of ICT, Financial Software, Education and the Oil and Gas industry will participate. Enterprise Ireland is at an early stage of planning for this trade mission and will finalise arrangements over the next 6 months.
In October 2013, President Higgins visited Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica. To coincide with his visit to Mexico, Enterprise Ireland held a business breakfast in Mexico City which was attended by 130 key business contacts including H.E. Mr Carlos Garcia de Alba, Ambassador of Mexico to Ireland.
A Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Mexico was implemented in 2000 for trade in goods and expanded in 2001 to cover trade in services. Discussions are underway on a possible modernisation of this agreement and a Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment has been set up to discuss how this might be implemented. While any proposal to formally open new trade talks with Mexico is some time away, I would welcome an expansion of economic and trade links that will support the development work already underway by Enterprise Ireland to increase the potential of the Mexican market for our exports.