The European Union and Mexico have signed the Modernised Global Agreement, a framework that includes significant progress in trade, investment and cooperation and could open a new stage in economic relations between both parties.
However, despite its signature, the agreement must still go through a ratification process before its definitive entry into force. In the fruit and vegetable sector, trade relations between Spain and Mexico currently show limited export volumes and a greater weight of imports.
According to data from the Department of Customs and Excise, processed by FEPEX, Spanish exports of fruit and vegetables to Mexico stood at 3,154 tonnes in 2025. Of this volume, 3,002 tonnes corresponded to plums, which remain the main product exported by Spain to this market.
In value terms, Spanish fruit and vegetable sales to Mexico reached €5.7 million, of which €5.1 million also corresponded to plums.
Mexico exports onions, avocados, asparagus and mangoes to Spain
In the opposite direction, Spanish imports of fruit and vegetables from Mexico reached 14,041 tonnes in 2025.
Onions were the most imported product in volume, with 4,071 tonnes, followed by avocados, with 3,596 tonnes; asparagus, with 3,064 tonnes; and the mango and guava category, with 3,003 tonnes.
In economic terms, the total value of Spanish fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico amounted to €41.2 million. By product, onions reached €2.4 million, avocados €8.7 million, asparagus €14.5 million and mangoes €13.8 million.
An agreement pending ratification
The agreement is structured around two different legal instruments, which will determine its implementation timeline. On the one hand, the Modernised Global Agreement, which is mixed in nature, includes the political, cooperation and economic pillars. On the other, the Interim Trade Agreement is limited to trade provisions.
This dual structure involves different approval procedures. As a mixed agreement, the Modernised Global Agreement must be approved by the European Parliament and ratified by the national parliaments of the 27 Member States, a process that is expected to delay its entry into force.
RELATED NEWS: EU agricultural markets remain resilient despite uncertainty
In parallel, the Interim Trade Agreement, as it includes only areas of exclusive EU competence, could enter into force more quickly once approved by the European Parliament and the Council.
On Mexico’s side, the agreement must also be ratified by the Senate, launching its own internal legislative process.
Liberalisation of agri-food trade
From an economic perspective, the agreement provides for the almost complete liberalisation of trade in goods, covering up to 99% of exchanges, with a particular impact on the agri-food sector.
Mexico will significantly reduce tariffs on European exports, eliminating approximately 95% of tariffs on agricultural products. For its part, the European Union will expand access to the EU market for Mexican exports, with more than 80% of agri-food products becoming tariff-free, while the remaining products will be subject to gradual tariff reduction schedules.
The signing of the agreement therefore marks the beginning of a new phase in trade relations between the European Union and Mexico, although its full implementation will depend on the progress of the ratification processes established on both sides.
