U.S. Department of the Treasury

(Archived Content)

FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers and Mexico's Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit Angel Gurria today signed a new Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA) providing for enhanced cooperation on a wide range of law enforcement issues between the U.S. and Mexican customs administrations.

The U.S. and Mexico had signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement in 1976, but the rapid expansion of trade under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and changes in the legal frameworks in both countries caused the two governments to seek an expanded cooperation agreement.

The new CMAA will assist in the gathering of evidence for criminal and civil cases involving trade fraud, money laundering, export control violations, and drug smuggling, and will do so in a manner that respects the legal frameworks of both countries. The agreement includes new rules for disclosure of information, and addresses the exchange of information in an electronic format.