WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
 G/LIC/N/1/MEX/1  
G/LIC/N/3/MEX/1  
2 November  2004 
 
 (04-4661 ) 
  Committee on Import Licensing  Original:   Spanish  
 
 
 
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
 
Notification under Articles  1.4(a), 8.2(b) and 7.3  
 
MEXICO  
 
 
 The following communication, dated 29 September 2004, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of Mexico.  
 
____________  
 
 
 Pursuant to Articles  1.4(a) and 8.2(b) of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, the 
Permanent Mission of Mexico to the WTO has the honour to notify herewith information concerning 
import licensing procedures.  Attached , in fulfilment of Article  7.3 of the above -mentioned 
Agreement , are the replies to the question s listed in document G/LIC/3 . 
 
____________  
 
 
Notificatio n under Articles  1.4(a) and 8.2(b) of the Agreement  
 
1. Pursuant to Articles  1.4(a) and 8.2(b) of the Agreement, the Permanent Mission of Mexico 
has the honour to notify the rules and full information on import licensing procedures.  The  relevant 
provisions are issued under the Foreign Trade Act and its Regulations and published in the Diario 
Oficial de la Federación  (DOF) , the official journal of the Mexican Government.  
2. Annexed hereto are the Foreign Trade Act (LCE) and its Regulations, and the ministerial 
agreements containing the basic provisions that apply to import licensing (prior licensing) in Mexico 
and includ e the lists of products that require import licences .1  Also attached is the import licence 
application form (SE-03-018) - a transparency requirem ent set by the Law on Transparency and 
Access to Governmental Public Information , which we also attach  for the Committee's information.  
3. For more information on prior licensing, please refer to Mexico's notification in its " Replies to 
the Questionnaire on I mport Licensing Procedures " which is also submitted herewith to the 
Committee on Import Licensing.  
 
 
1 DOF 26 -03-2002 ("Agreement on the Classification and Codification  of Goods the Import and Export 
of which are subject to prior authorization by the Ministry of the Economy ") and modifications thereto dated: 
03-07-2002, 03 -12-2002, 31 -12-2002, 24 -02-2003, 30 -06-2003, 18 -11-2003 , 15-12-2003, 30 -12-2003 and 
14-05-2004.  G/LIC/N/1/MEX/1  
G/LIC/N/3/MEX/1  
Page 2 
 
 
 Replies to the q uestionnaire on import licensing procedures2 
 
Notification under Article  7.3 of the Agreement  
 
Outline of s ystem  
 
1. The import licensing syste m is based on the premise that imports into the country a re exempt 
from this requirement  except for specific products that are subject to automatic and non -automatic 
import licensing.  The system is based on the Foreign Trade Act and its Regulations, which  are the 
basic legal texts governing Mexico's international trade.  The list of products subject to licensing is 
established in ministerial agreements issued by the Ministry of the Economy , published  in the Diario 
Oficial de la Federación (DOF) , the offici al journal of the Mexican Government, and represents less 
than 1 per cent of Mexico's tariff headings . 
 The prior licensing system is administered by the Ministry of the Economy.  Licences are put 
to the consideration  of the Foreign Trade Commission (COCEX ) of the Ministry of the Economy, 
which works as a consultative inter -agency body to all entities of the Federal Public Administration in 
matters concerning trade policy formulation .3  The COCEX is responsible for issuing non -binding 
opinions and recommend ations on these matters, for which it may also hold public consultations with 
interested parties.  The rules on import licensing procedures are neutral, clear  and easily applied and 
are administered  properly and fairly . 
 
Purpose and c overage of licensing  
 
2. Automatic import licensing procedures  are an important management and monitoring tool for 
maintaining a statistical record of foreign trade transactions and implementing trade policies .4  
 The non -automatic import licensing system (prior licensing) is used  by the Mexican 
Government in the import (and export) of sensitive goods to regulate trade in products in accordance 
with the provisions of the international treaties and agreements  to which Mexico is party.  Other aims 
of the system include protection of morals, security and law and order, the use of natural resources 
and the conservation of flora and fauna . 
 
3. The prior licensing regime is applied to products from all countries on a most-favoured -nation 
basis.  
4. The prior licensing regime is not intended to r estrict the quantity or value of imports.  Its aim 
is to regulate trade in specific products and protect consumers, health and the environment.  
 
 
2 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the questionnaire.  
3 The COCEX comprises representatives of the Central Bank, the Federal Competition Commission 
and the ministries of :  Foreign Affairs ;  Finance and Public Credit ;  Social Development ;  Economy ;  Energy ;  
Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food ;  Environment and Natural Resources ;  and 
Health.  Other federal or state agencies may be invited to participate in meetings when COCEX is discussing 
specific sectoral issues within their areas of responsibility.  
4 The only automatic licence applied  by Mexico, known as the "Automatic Notice of Importation", and 
its list of products, was published in the DOF on 27 July 1998 and notified to the WTO in document 
G/LIC/N/2/MEX/1.  It was reproduced  in the Agreement published in the DOF on 26 March 2002 ( Article  14) 
and notified to the Committee under Article  8.2(b) of the Agreement.  For further references  see the section 
entitled "Import Restrictions and Licensing" in the Secretariat's 2002 report on  Mexico's TPR (WT/TPR/S/97).   G/LIC/N/1/MEX/1  
 G/LIC/N/3/MEX/1  
 Page 3 
 
 
 5. The system of approval of licensed imports is governed by the Foreign Trade Act ( Title  IV, 
Chapter II, Section I, Article  20, and Section II, Articles  21 and 22) and its Regulations (Title III, 
Chapter II), and the ministerial  agreements setting out basic provisions for import licensing in Mexico 
and the products that require import licences.  Publication in the DOF of the tariff items subject to 
import licences, as required by the Foreign Trade Act, makes  the system transparent.  
Procedures  
 
6. I-XI.  Relevant information on the import licensing regime, or periods of application and 
administrative procedures, are publ ished by the Ministry of the Economy  in the  DOF .  The latter is 
available to any person, firm or institution.  
 In order to be processed, a licence application form5 must be submitted to the Public Services 
counter at the General Directorate of Foreign Trad e of the Ministry of the Economy  (Avenida 
Insurgentes Sur No. 1940, piso 12, Colonia Florida, Mexico, Distrito Federal).  The licensing 
procedure is as follows:  
 
I. Any natural or legal person seeking prior authorization for import, export or modification  
must submit a duly substantiated application and attach the supplementary documentation in 
accordance with the instructions on the application . 
 
II. After review of the application and the supplementary documentation, by Ministry personnel, 
the information  is recorded in the computer system (SICEX -PEXIM) , which issues a printed 
record to be signed and kept by the applicant as acknowledgement of the procedure .  
 
III. A receipt stamp  and the application serial number generated by SICEX -PEXIM are printed on 
the front of the application (original and copies).  
 
IV. The application and the supplementary documentation are then sent for review , either to the 
General Directorate of Heavy Industries and High Technology in the case of industrial 
products, or to the Gen eral Directorate of Basic Industries, in the case of agricultural 
products.  Once the review is complete, the General Directorate in question  sends its decision 
to the Issuing Department of the General Directorate of Foreign Trade.  
 
V. The decision  documen t is issued through the SICEX -PEXIM compute r system as follows : 
 Approval:  The import (or export) licence is issued on security paper . 
 Refusal:  Issued on white paper where applications fail to meet the set criteria and 
requirements.  
 
VI. Once issued , the decision is sent  to the Public Services counter.  
 
VII. The decision  is delivered  to the applicant, who signs a record sheet in acknowledgement of 
receipt.  If the decision  document is a licence, it is sent electronically to the Ministry of 
Finance and P ublic Credit  (SHCP) . 
 
VIII.  The procedure has been totally decentralized to the 52 offices of the Ministry of the Economy 
located  throughout the country . 
 
 
5 The form can be obtained from  the General Directorate of Foreign Trade, the Ministry of the 
Economy 's offices in the various states  or the website of the Federal Regulatory Improvement Commission  
(COFEMER), at www.cofemer.gob .mx. G/LIC/N/1/MEX/1  
G/LIC/N/3/MEX/1  
Page 4 
 
 
 7. Not applicable.  
8. An application for a licence may not be refused if it satisfies the established crite ria.  In the 
event of refusal, the interested party may apply to the Ministry of the Economy  for review . 
Eligibility of i mporters to apply for a licence  
 
9. All persons, firms and institutions are eligible to apply for licences.  The Legal Affairs Unit of 
the Ministry of the Economy issues the " Proof of Accredited Identity ". 
Documentational and other r equirements for application for licence  
 
10. For the purposes of Article  7.VIII of the Law on Transparency and Access to Governmental 
Public Information, the form us ed to apply for an import licence is a "Formato", bearing the Federal 
Register of Formalities and Services number SE -03-018.  The application for m for a licence, 
extension or modification contains the usual information on the importer, and, where appropria te, the 
technical specifications of the goods and the documentation identifying them.  The following 
documents must be submitted with the application:  
• The original or a certified copy and an informal copy of the firm's articles of 
incorporation with the most recent  amendments , if any ;  
• simple power of attorney granted by the natural person or his legal representative 
before two witnesses, specifying authority to process and sign import (or export) 
licences, as the case may be ; 
• for legal persons, the federal  tax identification number (RFC) and RFC code 
('homoclave') (two copies).  For natural persons with a business activity, in addition, a 
copy of the RFC registration f orm; 
• in the case of vehicles, a copy of the ownership certificate  or invoice or pro -forma 
invoice ; 
• proof of payment of administrative fees; 
• other documents, as set forth in the Agreements of the Federal Departments (e.g. 
sanitary or phytosanitary certificates for the import of agricultural products, CITES 
certificates or import authorization fo r wild plant and animal species).  
11. No other document s are required.  
12. To o btain an import licence costs 212.00 pesos in processing fees and 1 ,012.00 pesos in 
issuing fees.  The fees are updated on a six -monthly basis.  Payment can be made at any authorized 
banking institution  by completing the form  normally used for paying fees.  
13. No deposit s or advance payment s are required for the issue of licences.  
Conditions of l icensing  
 
14. Licence s are valid for one year from the date of issue, unless the government body appr oving 
the licence indicates otherwise.  Extensions may be requested, as long as the original licence has not 
expired and has the authorized remaining balance .  G/LIC/N/1/MEX/1  
 G/LIC/N/3/MEX/1  
 Page 5 
 
 
 15. There are no penalties for the non -utilization of a licence or a portion of a licence.  
16. Prior authorizations /licences are issued to the licensee and are non-transferable between 
importers .  They  are issued on security paper for electronic download.  
17. There are no other conditions attached to the issuing  of a licence.  
Other p rocedural requirements  
 
18. Import s are not subject to any administrative procedures other than those already described.  
19. There is no relation between the import licensing regime and the foreign exchange system.  
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