On July 1st,2020, the National Water Commission (“CONAGUA”) published in the Federal Official Gazette the “Ruling establishing temporary and extraordinary measures to guarantee the supply of National Waters to population centers for domestic and public urban use, in light of the health emergency generated by the SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19)” (“Ruling”).

The Board of the Commission in its session held on June 25, which was published in the Official Gazette on June 30,1 decided that the initial (March 23 to April 17), the second (April 20 to April 30), the third (May 6 to May 29), the fourth (June 1 to June 12) and the fifth (June 15 to June 30) suspension of terms will be extended. In this regard and effective as of July 1, all times and terms will be suspended until July 10, 2020, excepting those related to merger control procedures and the issuance of opinions or decisions in the granting of licenses, concessions, permits and similar procedures.

In preparation for the entrance into force of the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States and Canada (USMCA) on July 1, 2020, today the promulgating executive order was published in the Official Federal Gazette, which contains the full text of the agreement, its Protocol of Amendment and various parallel agreement.

On December 9, 2019, the “Decree amending the Income Tax Law, the Value Added Tax Law, the Special Tax on Production and Services Law, and the Federal Tax Code” was published in the Official Federal Gazette” (“Decree”). Among other modifications, article 27 of the Federal Tax Code (“CFF”) was reformed incorporating four parts with various sections.

Today, June 17, 2020, the official communication SS/14/2020, issued by the Plenary of the Superior Chamber of the Mexican Court of Administrative Justice (TFJA) was published in the Official Federal Gazette (DOF), which extended the suspension of activities and terms, and therefore said Court will remain closed and the deadlines will be suspended until June 30, 2020.

Today, the “Fourth Ruling modifying the first article of the Ruling that declares the suspension of the time periods in proceedings carried out before the Administrative Units of the National Energy Control Center (“CENACE”)”, from Thursday, March 26 through Sunday, April 19, 2020”. (the “Ruling”), was published in the Official Federal Gazette.

The Board of the Commission in its session held on June 8, which was published in the Official Gazette on June 12,1 decided that the initial (March 23 to April 17), the second (April 20 to April 30), the third (May 6 to May 29) and the fourth (June 1 to June 12) suspension of terms will be extended. In this regard and effective as of June 15, all times and terms will be suspended until June 30, 2020, excepting those related to merger control procedures and the issuance of opinions or decisions in the granting of licenses, concessions, permits and similar procedures.

Due to the COVID-19 contingency, on June 11, 2020, the official communication by which the Mexican Copyright Institute (INDAutor) extended the initial suspension of activities and terms that ran from March 26 to June 15, 2020 was published in the Federal Official Journal (DOF). In terms of this new official communication, the INDAutor will remain closed and the deadlines will be suspended until further notice.

On June 8, 2020, the Plenary of the Federal Judicial Council (“CJF”) entered the Decrees 12/2020, 13/2020 and 14/2020 (“CJF Decrees”) which state the work structure that the Federal Judiciary will adopt during the period from June 15-30, 2020, and also address the electronic processing of proceedings.

Last June 6, 2020 Mexico joined the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs.

Beginning on June 6, 2020, the national petitioners may make use of the Hague System to protect their industrial drawings and models in the territories of up to 89 countries, through a single international petition and the payment of a set of fees. Foreign petitioners now have the option of selecting Mexico to protect their industrial drawings and models under the Hague System.