S/C/N/821  
21 August 2015  
(15-4246)  Page: 1/6  
Council for Trade in Services  Original: Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION OF MEXICAN PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO SERVICES 
AND SERVICE SUPPLIERS OF LEAST-DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
The following notification from the delegation of Mexico, dated 20 August 2015, is being circulated 
to the Members of the Council for Trade in Services. 
 
_______________ 
 
 The Permanent Mission of Mexico to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at Geneva has the honour to notify to the WTO Council for Trade in Services the preferential treatment that Mexico 
will grant to services and service suppliers of least developed countries (LDCs), in accordance with 
the Decision of 17 December 2011 on Preferential Treatment to Services and Service Suppliers of 
Least-Developed Countries (document WT/L/847), adopted by Ministers at the Eighth WTO 
Ministerial Conference, and the Decision on Operationalization of the Waiver Concerning 
Preferential Treatment to Services and Serv ice Suppliers of Least-Developed Countries 
(document WT/L/918), adopted by Ministers at the Ninth WTO Ministerial Conference. 
 
Paragraph 2 of the Ministerial Decision of 17 December 2011 provides that "Each Member 
according preferential treatment pursuant to the waiver shall submit a notification to the Council 
for Trade in Services. The notification shall spec ify the preferential treatment made available, 
the sectors or subsectors concerned and the period  of time during which the Member is intending 
to maintain those preferences. A supplemental no tification shall be made if the preferential 
treatment is subsequently modified. The notifica tions shall be made before the preferential 
treatment is granted or modified".
1 
 The preferential treatment will be made availabl e in a number of sectors and modes of supply 
of particular export interest to least- developed countries, as set out in their Collective Request 
Pursuant to the Bali Decision on the Operationalization of the Waiver Concerning Preferential Treatment to Services and Serv ice Suppliers of Least-Developed Countries 
(document S/C/W/356). 
 
In the light of the above, Mexico prop oses to implement these preferences as 
of 1 September 2015 and intends to maintain them until the end of the waiver period. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
                                               
1 For greater clarity, this notification will not be subject to Annex 2 to the WTO Agreement: 
Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes . S/C/N/821 
- 2 - 
  1  HORIZONTAL MEASURES 
1.1.  Measures corresponding to the entry and temporary stay2 of natural persons in the following 
categories who comply with existing immigrat ion measures applicable to temporary entry, 
and other applicable measures relating to public health and safety and national security: 
A. Business Visitors: 
Business visitors are foreign nationals seeking temporary entry into Mexico in order to: 
 
 establish, develop or administer a foreign capital investment; 
 provide specialized services, including after-sales or after-lease services, 
previously agreed or provided for in a contract relating to technology transfer, patents and trademarks, purchase of machinery and equipment, technical training 
for staff or any other production process of a company established in Mexico; 
 attend business management meetings, conferences or trade shows and perform 
managerial or executive duties in a company or a subsidiary or affiliate thereof that 
is established in Mexico. 
Business visitors are required to demonstrate that the source of remuneration corresponding 
to their business activity is outside Mexico an d that the principal place of their business and 
the actual place of accrual of most of the profits are located outside Mexico. 
 
B. Investors: 
Investors are foreign nationals who seek tempor ary entry into, or are already in, Mexico and 
who intend to: 
 
 familiarize themselves with the various investment opportunities; 
 make or monitor direct investments; 
 represent a foreign company or engage in commercial transactions; 
 develop, administer or provide advice or key technical services in relation to the 
operation of an investment to which the business person or the business person's 
enterprise has committed, or is in the process of committing, a substantial amount of capital, in a capacity that is supervisory or executive or involves essential skills. 
C. Intra-company transferees: 
Intra-company transferees are foreign nationals who seek temporary entry into Mexico and 
hold the following positions: 
 
 executive: a business person within an organization who primarily directs the 
management of the organization and exercises wide latitude in decision-making; 
 manager: a business person within an organization who primarily directs the 
organization or a department or subdivision of the organization and supervises and 
controls the work of other professional, supervisory or managerial employees; 
 specialist: a business person who possesses specialized knowledge of the 
organization's products or services and their application in international markets, 
or an advanced level of expertise or knowledge of the organization's processes 
and procedures.  
                                               
2 Authorization of temporary entry does not supers ede the requirements governing the exercise of a 
profession or activity under the specific  rules in effect in Mexican territory. S/C/N/821 
- 3 - 
  D. Professionals 
A professional means a business person who is engaged in a specialty occupation requiring: 
 
 the theoretical and practical application of a body of specialized knowledge; and 
 a university degree or post-secondary qualification requiring four or more years of 
study (or the equivalent of such a degree) as a minimum for entry into the occupation. 
This category is subject to an offer of paid employment in Mexico. 
 
Mexico will grant temporary entry and send documentary confirmation thereof to a business person seeking to engage in a professional bu siness activity, on the basis of an employment 
contract, upon presentation of: 
 
 documentation demonstrating that the business person will be engaged in such an 
activity and describing the purpose of entry; and 
 documentation demonstrating that the business person has attained the relevant 
minimum education requirements or alternative credentials. 
For the sake of clarity, the temporary entry of  a professional does not imply the recognition 
of degrees or certificates or the issuing of professional licences. 
1.2.  Entry and a temporary stay of up to 180 days are authorized for persons falling under 
category A. 
1.3.  Entry and a temporary stay of up to one year are authorized for persons falling under 
categories B, C and D; this stay may be extended three times up to a maximum period of four years as of the first renewal date. 
2  SECTORAL MEASURES 
2.1.  The following preferential treatment is made av ailable with respect to the application of the 
measures described in Article XVI of the General Agreement on Trade in Services, subject to the 
limitations set out under Horizontal Commitments.
3 
2.2.  Unless otherwise stated, all CPC references correspond to the 1991 Provisional Central 
Product Classification (CPCprov) of the United Na tions Statistics Division. Three asterisks (***) 
indicate that the service specified is a component of a more aggregated CPCprov item specified 
elsewhere in this classification list. 
                                               
3 For greater clarity, given that na tional treatment does not fall under the waiver approved pursuant to 
the Ministerial Decision of 17 December 2011 (document WT/L/847), the preferences granted by Mexico in this 
notification include only limitations that are non-discri minatory in respect of dome stic services and service 
suppliers. S/C/N/821 
- 4 - 
  Business services 
Sector or Subsector Limitations on Market Access 
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES4 
 
Accounting, auditing and book-keeping 
services 
(CPC 862)   
Consultancy and technical studies for 
architecture 
(CPC 8671)  
 Consultancy and technical studies for 
engineering 
(CPC 8672)   
Integrated engineering services 
(CPC 8673) 
 
 
 Urban planning and landscape 
architectural services 
(CPC 8674)   
Medical and dental services 
(CPC 9312)  
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
OTHER BUSINESS SERVICES  
 
Building-cleaning services 
(CPC 8740)   
 
Washing and cleaning services 
(CPC 97011) 
  
(1) None 
(2) None 
(3) None (4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
Publishing and printing 
(CPC 88442) Includes only: 
- Publishing of books and similar products; 
- Printing and binding (other than printing 
of newspapers for circulation in Mexico alone); 
- Printing, publishing and allied industries 
(other than the manufacture of printing types, as classified under category 3811 
"casting and moulding of ferrous and 
non-ferrous metal parts").  
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures   
 
  
 
 
                                               
4 A degree that has been recognized  or confirmed by the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) and a 
professional licence are required to exercise a profes sion in Mexico. Special requ irements must be met by 
engineers, architects and doctors. S/C/N/821 
- 5 - 
  Sector or Subsector Limitations on Market Access 
 
Convention services 
(CPC 87909***) 
 
  
Translation services 
(CPC 87905) 
 
  
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None (4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
COMPUTER AND RELATED SERVICES 
 
Consultancy services related to the installation 
of computer hardware 
(CPC 841)  
 
Software implementation services 
(CPC 842)  
 
 Systems analysis and data-processing services 
(CPC 843)   
Database services 
(CPC 844) 
  
 
Other 
(CPC 845+849) 
 
 
  
(1) None 
(2) None 
(3) None (4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 
(1) None (2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None 
(2) None 
(3) None (4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 
(1) None (2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None 
(2) None 
(3) None (4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
LEASING OR RENTAL SERVICES WITHOUT OPERATOR 
 
Leasing or rental services concerning aircraft 
without operator 
(CPC 83104)   
Rental services concerning agricultural and 
fishery machinery and equipment 
(CPC 83106)  
 Rental services concerning machinery and 
equipment for industry 
(CPC 83109) 
  
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 S/C/N/821 
- 6 - 
  Recreational, cultural an d sporting services  
Sector or Subsector Limitations on Market Access 
SPORTING AND OTHER RECREATIONAL SERVICES  
 
Entertainment services 
(including theatre, band and orchestra and 
circus services) 
(CPC 9619)  
News agency services 
(CPC 962) 
 
 
 Library and other cultural services 
(CPC 963) 
 
  
Sporting and other recreational services 
(CPC 964) 
Sports event organization services 
(CPC 96412)  
(1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None (2) None 
(3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures  
(1) None 
(2) None (3) None 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
Tourism and travel-related services  
Sector or Subsector Limitations on Market Access 
HOTEL AND RESTAURANT SERVICES AND TRAVEL AGENCY SERVICES  
 
Hotel services 
(CPC 6411) 
 
  
 
   
 
 Restaurant services 
(CPC 642) 
  
 
  
(1) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) is 
required to engage in the activity 
(2) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) is 
required to engage in the activity 
(3) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) is required to engage in the activity 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 (1) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) and 
demonstrated previous experience are required to engage in the activity 
(2) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) and demonstrated previous experience are required to engage in the activity 
(3) None, except that a permit from the relevant 
authority (federal, State or municipal) and demonstrated previous experience are 
required to engage in the activity 
(4) As indicated under horizontal measures 
 
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