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Chamber V.P. Joins Newsom Administration’s First International Delegation

International, Policy

October 14, 2019

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Chamber Vice President Paola Avila took part in California Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis’ delegation trip to Mexico City last week. This was the first delegation to another country under the Newsom administration, which delivered a clear message of strengthening California’s relationship with Mexico.

The delegation met with various federal government agencies including Foreign Affairs, Commerce, and Agriculture. During the visit, the Lt. Governor announced the opening of a Trade and Services Desk in Mexico which will work to expand partnerships in cooperation, trade, and investment, laying the foundation for the Newsom Administration to build robust, ongoing engagement. The newly opened Trade and Services desk is in part a result of significant efforts made by the Chamber’s Policy Team. The Chamber has previously sponsored bills to support the establishment of a CA-MX trade office, including SB 357 (2017) and SB 928 (2014).

Several agreements were signed between California and Mexico during the trip:

  • Agreement on Sustainable Agriculture- Aims to strengthen productivity and competitiveness of products in new markets, promote the exchange of information on climate change adaptation, and partner on food safety and agricultural workforce development. This agreement was signed by the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA, formerly SAGARPA) and the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
  • Agreement to Expand Relations in Trade, Investment, Energy, and Environmental Policy– Will expand economic and investment cooperation between California and Mexico in the digital economy and creative industries; alternative and renewable energy; environmental, agriculture, and clean related clean technologies; micro, small and medium enterprises; and workforce development. This agreement was signed by the State of California and Mexico’s Ministry of Economy (SE). You can read the full agreement online
  • Agreement on Clean Energy– Includes provisions that expand collaboration in energy efficiency codes and standards, enhanced use of data for energy efficiency, environmental and energy policy development and planning, and cross-border optimization of the electricity grid. This agreement was signed between Mexico City, including the Office of the Secretary of the Environment, and the State of California.
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