Open Source Content Management

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:

Today, Canada concluded its process of approving the USMCA, following approval in the Parliament and the signing of the Royal Assent.

The governments of the three countries continue to work on the Uniform Rules and the Panelist Lists in preparation for the notification by each of them that they have concluded their approval procedures. The USMCA will enter into force on the first day of the third month after the three countries notify the other signatories of the conclusion of their respective approval processes.

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.