GCR – Global Competition Review: Mexico's Competition Bar

The Congress of the Union approved an amendment to the Federal Economic Competition Law (LFCE) that will come into effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF). Institutionally, the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) ceases to be an autonomous constitutional body to become part of the Federal Executive Branch under the name of the National Antitrust Commission (CNA).

An initiative to reform the Federal Economic Competition Law is published. The President of the Republic submitted to the Congress of the Union an initiative to reform the Federal Economic Competition Law (LFCE) which will be analyzed in the coming days and introduces significant changes in the institutional structure and administrative procedures.

The Federal Antitrust and Economic Competition Law Initiative is published. On February 18, a Federal Antitrust and Economic Competition Law initiative was published in the Parliamentary Gazette. In this regard, it is important to highlight that other initiatives may be presented subsequently.

On March 4, 2020, it was published in the Official Federal Gazette the official communication No. CFCE-049-2020, issued by the Board of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (the "Commission") on February 12, 2020 (the "Ruling"). Pursuant the Ruling: (i) it were issued the Regulatory Provisions of the Immunity and Reduction of Sanctions Program established in Article 103 of the Federal Economic Competition Law (the "Provisions"); and (ii) were repealed articles 114, 115 and 116 of the Regulatory Provisions of the Federal Economic Competition Law which previously established the requirements and procedure for joining the immunity and reduction of sanctions program (the "Leniency Program"). These provisions entered into force on March 5, 2020.

Mexico restricts brewer's exclusive contracts.