Open Source Content Management

Today, the National Center of Energy Control ("CENACE") published in the Federal Official Gazette the "Agreement establishing the suspension of terms and deadlines in acts and procedures filed before the Administrative Entities of the National Center of Energy Control, from Thursday, March 26 through Sunday, April 19, 2020” (the “Agreement”).

Today, an agreement was published in the Official Federal Gazette, whereby the Ministry of Health adopts additional extraordinary measures to mitigate and control the COVID-19 disease, including the immediate suspension until April 30, 2020, of all non-essential activities in the public, private and social sector.

On March 24, 2020 Mexico entered into phase 2 (local transmission) of the outbreak of the COVID-19.

As a consequence, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) published in its Intellectual Property Gazette the official communication dated March 26, 2020 by means of which such Institute suspends activities from March 27, 2020 to April 19, 2020.

A decree was published in the Official Federal Gazette last night in which the President of the Republic declares various extraordinary actions that the Ministry of Health can implement immediately in all regions of the country that are affected by the COVID-19 disease.

Today, after months of struggle between the private sector and the federal government, the new Official Mexican Standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010, General labeling specifications for pre-packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages-commercial and health information, was published in the Official Federal Gazette and will enter into force in stages between October 1, 2020 and October 1, 2025.

Yesterday, the Office of Trade Facilitation and Foreign Trade published the measures to maintain Foreign Trade procedures operating remotely in order to protect the health of its workers and users in PHASE 2, through official notice No. 414.2020.826.

Today the Federal Ministry of Energy ("SENER") published in the evening edition of the Federal Official Gazette the "Agreement providing the suspension of legal terms in the Federal Ministry of Energy, as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.” ("Agreement").

Yesterday, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources ("SEMARNAT") published in the Federal Official Gazette the "Agreement by which is informed the days that will be considered as non-business days for administrative acts and procedures before the Federal Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and its administrative-decentralized agencies.” ("Agreement").

The Federal Government just published a resolution in the Official Federal Gazette issued by the Ministry of Health adopting certain measures to mitigate and control the health risks caused by the COVID-19 virus, which could severely affect the operations of a large number of companies whose activities are not considered necessary to address the health contingency.

The Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) has issued a decree stating that no terms will run from March 24 to April 19, 2020. The interruption and suspension of deadlines will not apply to procedures that are necessary to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and those related to the release of preliminary injunctions imposed by IMPI during an infringement procedure.

Today a resolution was published in the Official Federal Gazette in which the General Health Board recognizes the epidemic caused by the virus SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) as a serious illness requiring priority attention and establishes the preparatory and response actions for the epidemic.

As the World Health Organization cataloged COVID-19 as a pandemic with a sustained risk of further spread worldwide and declared it not only a public health crisis, but a crisis in all sectors, questions automatically arise about the impact that COVID-19 will have on companies and businesses, as well as on the performance of contracts and other obligations in our country.

The Mexican Antitrust Commission (“Commission”) published a revised notice, stating the following:

The Board of the Commission, in its session held today decided that effective as of March 23, all terms will be suspended until April 17, 2020, excepting those related to merger control procedures and the issuance of opinions or decisions granting licenses, concessions, permits and similar procedures.

At Von Wobeser y Sierra, S.C., the safety and well-being of our team, clients and colleagues are our priority.

Amid the COVID-19 emergency, we are actively taking measures to adjust to the rapidly evolving news and to continue assisting our clients in a regular manner without risking our personnel’s well-being.

Today it was published in Mexico City’s Official Gazette the “Agreement by which the terms and deadlines inherent to administrative procedures are suspended and administrative facilities are granted for the fulfillment of fiscal obligations, to prevent the spread of the COVID–19 virus” (the “Agreement”).

The Board of the Mexican Antitrust Commission, in its session held today, decided that effective as of March 23, all terms will be suspended until April 17, 2020, excepting those related to merger control procedures.

Guaranteeing the safety and health of our team, clients and business partners has always been our priority. Now more than ever we reconfirm that priority, and in light of the increase of cases of COVID-19 in North America and the current international uncertainty, we have adopted additional measures to ensure the continuity of your business, maintaining the level and quality of our services, while guaranteeing the health and protection of our clients, team and commercial partners. The following are some of the measures we have taken:

After more than ten years of history of the implementation of the leniency program, the Federal Economic Competition Commission (the “Commission”) has identified that this tool has been very useful to start investigations on which it would have been difficult to have knowledge; however, throughout these years it has also faced unforeseen scenarios that generated gaps at the time of program implementation. Through these new regulatory provisions, the Commission seems to want to grant certainty so that the program continues to build trust and be used successfully.

In view of the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) problem and the World Health Organization’s declaration that COVID-19 is a pandemic due to the number of cases, we think it would be useful to inform you of the possible implications and obligations for employers if the Ministry of Health declares a health emergency.