Mexican Competition Authority

In light of December shopping season, COFECE warns companies to avoid carrying out collusive practices* Establishing prices with competitors is prohibited by the competition law and implies the imposition of both economic and criminal sanctions. Economic agents that participate or have (...)

The Investigative Authority preliminarily determines lack of effective competition in the distribution of LP Gas to end users* In its Preliminary Opinion it establishes that there are no competition conditions in 213 geographic markets. In accordance with the process established in the Federal (...)

COFECE warns of possible risks in matters of competition and free market access derived from the Agreement on projects and works of the Government of Mexico considered of public interest and national security* The Agreement could generate an asymmetric regulatory regime in function of who (...)

COFECE sanctions several companies and natural persons for colluding in the market for baby diapers, products for feminine sanitary protection and incontinence* The economic agents that produce and commercialize these products in the wholesale markets colluded to manipulate sale prices for (...)

COFECE sanctions 17 clubs of the Liga MX, the Mexican Football Federation and 8 natural persons for colluding in the market of women and male soccer players’ draft* One of the sanctioned conducts consisted of an agreement to set a maximum wage cap for women players, which eliminated competition (...)

Rail transport requires regulatory changes to increase the country’s competitiveness: COFECE* There is low intensity of competition in the railway system: only in 35% of the routes two or more concessionaires participate; in addition, in barely 6% of the municipalities with railroads have two (...)

COFECE publishes the Emergency Regulatory Provisions for processing and handling complaints in matters of the Advertising Law* In view of the imminent entry into force of said law, this September 1, and with the aim to provide legal certainty in the procedures to be carried out in this regard, (...)

COFECE notifies an economic agent of a statement of probable responsibility for a possible relative monopolistic practice in the commercialization, storage and transport of oil products* With this notification of a statement of probable responsibility, the trial-like procedure initiates, in (...)

COFECE urges the Energy Regulatory Commission to respect the process established in the regulation in force to set price regulation for LP Gas* The involved authorities must guarantee due process in accordance with the regulatory framework in force, to avoid challenges that delay the objective (...)

Informative note on the work of COFECE in the LP gas market* The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) shares the concern of the citizens and of the Federal Executive Branch about offering quality energy at the best possible prices in Mexico. In fact, the (...)

The Federal Judiciary Power resolves that COFECE is the competent authority over the markets for online search services, social networks and cloud computing* The Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) learnt, through a live broadcast of the session of the First (...)

COFECE fines Praxair for failure to comply with commitments made to restore competition in the markets of industrial oxygen, nitrogen and argon* In 2018, during the trial-like procedure for possible relative monopolistic practices, Praxair offered commitments with the aim of restoring (...)

COFECE initiates an investigation to determine the existence of competition conditions in the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas at the national level* Shall the absence of effective competition conditions be detected, the Energy Regulatory Commission, as authority of the sector, could (...)

COFECE investigates relative monopolistic practices in the market of generation, wholesale commercialization and supply of electric energy and associated products* The Investigative Authority of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) published today in the Federal (...)

COFECE notifies a statement of probable responsibility for a triallike procedure for a possible collusion in the draft of professional soccer players in the national territory* The Investigative Authority concluded its inquiry and issued the statement in which it indicates the probable (...)

COFECE notifies economic agents of a statement of probable responsibility for a possible collusion in the market for land passenger transportation* With this notification of a statement of probable responsibility, the trial-like procedure initiates, in which the economic agents can present (...)

Derived from a complaint, COFECE investigates possible relative monopolistic practices in the market of conformity assessment of mezcal* Mexico City, March 04, 2021.- The Investigative Authority of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) published today, in the (...)

COFECE notified economic agents of a statement of probable responsibility for a possible collusion in hygiene products manufactured with cellulose* With this notification, the trial-like procedure begins, in which the economic agents will be able to defend themselves against the allegations (...)

Lack of competition is preliminarily determined in maritime passenger transportation in the ferry modality in Isla Mujeres and Cozumel* In the Preliminary Investigative Opinion, the Investigative Authority concluded that Naviera Magna has a high market participation and the capacity to fix (...)

COFECE sanctions Interjet and HBC for not notifying their concentration in time* The Commission imposed fines for a total amount of 955 thousand 680 Mexican pesos. The concentration was authorized after verifying that the operation does not affect competition and free market access. The Board (...)

COFECE’s Preliminary Investigative Opinion establishes that there are not effective competition conditions in the card payment system in the Mexican territory* COFECE observed the probable existence of barriers to competition that prevent the entry and increase the costs of new participants in (...)

COFECE warns several associations of tortilla producers about the consequences of a possible price increase if this is the result of an agreement between competitors* The price established by each tortilla producer must be an individual determination COFECE’s Investigative Authority could (...)

COFECE investigates possible relative monopolistic practices in the market for the supply, distribution and retail sale of consumer goods and related services* This investigation shall not be understood as a prejudgment, but as an action of the authority to verify compliance with the Federal (...)

Greater competition in self-service stores for better food and beverages prices* The structure of the modern channel (self-service stores) is concentrated in few players. There are regulatory obstacles at the state and municipal levels that hinder the expansion of regional chains. In 255 (...)

COFECE investigates possible absolute monopolistic practices in the market for the leasing of non-residential real estate spaces* This investigation shall not be understood as a prejudgment, but as an action of the authority to verify compliance with the Federal Economic Competition Law. In (...)

COFECE proposes 12 measures on economic competition matters to support the recovery of the Mexican economy* As a result of the health crisis, markets could further concentrate. Guaranteeing inclusion and permanence of a wide range of companies is the best way to ensure a sustainable recovery (...)

COFECE issues comments and recommendations concerning the regulation that modifies the scheme of permits for self-supply and cogeneration of electric energy* In the opinion of the Commission, the draft could have effects contrary to competition by generating uncertainty for investments, (...)

COFECE investigates possible absolute monopolistic practices in the market for waterproofing products* The Investigative Authority has evidence to suggest anticompetitive conducts in said market. This investigation must not be understood as a prejudgment, but as an action by the authority to (...)

COFECE sanctions several companies and natural persons for agreeing retail gasoline prices in Tijuana and Mexicali, in Baja California* The Board of Commissioners imposed fines totaling 51 million Mexican pesos to companies of the economic interest groups: Gasmart, Rendichicas, Appro, Magigas (...)

COFECE investigates possible relative monopolistic practices in the market for digital advertisement services and related services* Mexico City, August 24, 2020.- The Investigative Authority of the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) published today in the (...)

COFECE fines companies and natural persons for colluding in tenders for services for laboratory tests and blood banks convened by IMSS and ISSSTE* The Board of Commissioners determined that 11 companies and 14 natural persons coordinated their bids or abstained from bidding in several tenders (...)

COFECE imposed fines in two cases for failure to notify a concentration: Santander and USB Americas; and KKR Rainbow Aggregator and Coty* COFECE fined diverse subsidiaries of Santander, Elavon and USB Americas a total of 2 million 172 thousand Mexican pesos because they modified the (...)

COFECE investigates possible relative monopolistic practices in the market for production, distribution and commercialization of medical oxygen in the Mexican territory* This investigation must not be understood as a prejudgment but rather as an action of the authority to verify compliance with (...)

COFECE investigates competition conditions in the services for maritime passenger transportation in routes with origin and/or destination in the northern zone of the state of Quintana Roo* On July 13, 2020, the Investigative Authority agreed that in the said market it is necessary to determine (...)

COFECE sanctions BAS Projects Corporation, ESZ KI, ESZ KII, and EXI Solar for failing to notify a concentration and authorizes the transaction* Imposes fines totaling to 977 thousand Mexican pesos. Authorizes the concentration considering that the operation does not pose risks to the process (...)

The implementation of regulation in gasoline markets should incentivize competition in order to reduce its final price to the public: COFECE* The Commission issued an opinion where it proposes that SENER, SE, CRE and CONAMER adopt measures to increase competition in the gasoline markets. The (...)

New Law on Public Procurement is Proposed to Promote Better Public Expenditure and to Revivify the Mexican Economy* Civil society organizations and public institutions specialized on public procurement join efforts to propose a General Law on Procurement that leads to full and timely public (...)

COFECE sanctions Moench Coöperatif and Luis Doporto for failing to comply with the commitments made to totally and permanently eliminate any possible link between Nadro and Marzam, in the market for the distribution of pharmaceutical products* The commitments were accepted by the Board of (...)

COFECE conditions concentration between Profluent Plastic Technologies and Plastic Technology de México* In the originally planned transaction, the parties established a non-competition clause which included terms that could potentially affect the process of competition and free market access. (...)

COFECE issues Regulatory Provisions on the use of electronic means in investigation procedures and other procedures* Through these Provisions and the technological tools that will accompany them, COFECE takes a step forward towards the possibility of conducting all of its procedures (...)

COFECE files a constitutional controversy against the issuance of the Policy for reliability, security, continuity and quality in the National Electric System* The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) filed a constitutional controversy before the Supreme Court (...)

COFECE accepts commitments from the Association of Public Brokers to correct possible anticompetitive conducts* Relative monopolistic practices allegedly consisting in discriminatory treatment or establishing advantages in favour of certain agents were investigated in the market for the (...)

Public Consultation on the Draft Modifications to the Guidelines for the Exchange of Information Between Economic Agents* Pursuant to articles 28, paragraphs 14th and 20th, section VI, of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States; articles 12, section XXII, last paragraph, (...)

Fourth agreement of the Board of Commissioners on the suspension of legal terms for some procedures filed before COFECE* Procedures and procedural stages established in the third agreement on the suspension of legal terms published on April 30 remain exempted and others are added. COFECE’s (...)

COFECE launches public consultation on the guide to process the investigation procedure for absolute monopolistic practices* PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE DRAFT MODIFICATIONS TO THE GUIDE TO FILE THE INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE FOR ABSOLUTE MONOPOLISTIC PRACTICES Pursuant to articles 28, paragraphs (...)

The Judiciary reaches the decision that COFECE is the competent authority to resolve the concentration between Uber and Cornershop* The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) became aware, through the live broadcast of today’s session of the First Circuit (...)

COFECE invites the public to complete a questionnaire on competition in rail transport* With this exercise, the Commission initiates its works to draft a document about competition in the public service for rail freight transport aimed at detecting possible obstacles to the efficient (...)

COFECE issues recommendations to the National Energy Control Center (CENACE) Agreement* During the health emergency, competitive electricity prices are of the utmost relevance. COFECE’s recommendations seek to avoid a permanent increase in electricity rates or an increase of subsidies by the (...)

Third agreement of the Board of Commissioners on the suspension of legal terms for some procedures filed before COFECE* The Board of Commissioners of the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) agreed to suspend, from May 6 until May 29, legal terms and deadlines (...)

COFECE sanctions SoftBank and WeWork for failing to notify a concentration and authorizes the transaction* Fines amounting to 3 million 379 thousand 600 Mexican pesos were imposed. The concentration is authorized as it is considered that it does not pose risks to competition and free market (...)

Answers related to COFECE’s Press Release 012-2020* The press release states: “Agreements between competitors breach the Federal Economic Competition Law and are investigated and sanctioned when their purpose or effect is manipulating prices, allocating the market, and/or restricting the supply (...)

COFECE warns the National Association of Real Estate Developers to avoid possible agreements between competitors in this market* The Association has promoted among its members the granting of discounts to tenants, which could infringe the LFCE if these discounts are established or fixed (...)

COFECE publishes its COFECE Digital Strategy, explaining the actions it will undertake to successfully address analyses and investigations in digital markets* The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) presents to the general public the document COFECE Digital (...)

COFECE warns the National Chamber of the Sugar and Alcohol Industry that increases in alcohol prices, alcohol products and other inputs for its production, may be caused by agreements between economic agents* Prices established by each producer of alcohol and the inputs required for its (...)

COFECE’s position for enforcing the Federal Economic Competition Law in light of the current health emergency* Collaboration agreements between economic agents will not be prosecuted as long as they don’t have the objective of displacing competitors and are necessary, given the present context, (...)

The Board of Commissioners decrees to stop legal terms for some procedures filed before COFECE* This measure does not apply to procedures for the notification of concentrations, the verification of notifications for concentrations that were legally bound to be presented before the Commission, (...)

COFECE issues Regulatory Provisions of the Leniency and Immunity Program* The Regulatory Provisions are legally binding and aimed at providing tat providing greater legal certainty on procedures related to the Leniency and Immunity Program Mexico City, March 4, 2020.- The Mexican Federal (...)

COFECE sanctions polyethylene gloves providers for coordinating their prices and discounts bids in public procurement in the health sector*  The Commission proved the responsibility of Galeno and Holiday in the execution of absolute monopolistic practices, also known as collusive agreements or (...)

As of January, concentration notifications may only be filed through electronic means* As of January 24, notification of concentrations that COFECE must review by law, will only be received through the Electronic Procedure System at the Commission’s website. This measure simplifies the (...)

COFECE CLOSES PROBE FOR POSSIBLE COLLUSION IN MARKET FOR WATT- HOUR METERS AND EMPHASIZES OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT IN PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PROCESSES* The Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE or Commission) Board of Commissioners resolved to decree the closure of the (...)

COFECE RECOMMENDS MODIFICATIONS TO PORT LAW AND OTHER MEASURES TO PROMOTE COMPETITION IN MANOEUVRE SERVICES* The Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) issued the Ministry of Communications and Transports (SCT for its initials in Spanish) and the respective commissions (...)

The probes will be carried out in the gasoline and diesel markets, as well as the aviation fuel for national territory.* Today, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE or Commission) Investigative Authority published in the Federal Official Gazette and on its website, three (...)

For the second time, COFECE presents criminal complaint against individuals that could have colluded in the sale of goods and services in the health sector* Mexico City, October 23, 2019.‐ Yesterday, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE or Commission) Investigative Authority (...)

COFECE sanctions the Cancun Airport for refusal to deal in the market for federal land transportation* The Cancun International Airport conducted a set of actions to prevent new participants from providing services, as the only agent that can rent and grant spaces for taxi access. • The harm (...)

COFECE sanctions 5 natural persons and 3 tortilla-producing associations for price fixing and the segmentation of the corn tortilla market in the municipality of Palenque, in the state of Chiapas* • The sanctioned economic agents fixed prices per kilogram of tortilla in a range of 10 to 17 (...)

COFECE sanctions toothbrush suppliers for bid rigging in public health sector tenders* • The sanctioned companies coordinated and rigged bids in public tenders, or abstained from participating, to divide amongst them the market of toothbrushes for adults and infants procured by the health (...)

COFECE notifies economic agents of a statement of probable responsibility for collusion in the market for pharmaceuticals* • The Investigative Authority concluded their probe and issued a statement indicating probable collusion. • The notification of a statement of probable responsibility (...)

COFECE blocked Walmart/Cornershop concentration* • The proposed deal could generate incentives to unduly displace or block competitors’ access to the Cornershop platform and/or hinder the development of new platforms. • The new economic agent resulting from the transaction would gain sufficient (...)

COFECE initiates market study in retail food and beverage sector* • COFECE’s electronic mail address: estudiocomercio@cofece.mx is made available to receive any element deemed relevant for the assessment of the sector, from a competition perspective. • The study may identify market structures, (...)

COFECE submits for public consultation the modification to the Guidelines for Concentration Notification via Electronic Means and the Regulatory Provisions on the Use of Electronic Means* • The consultation period for the Guidelines is 30 working days, while the period for the Provisions is 20 (...)

COFECE issues recommendations on Infonavit public procurement regulations * • These recommendations are issued in response to the Institute’s request, which has publicly stated its goal of more efficient spending. • The regulations currently in force for the Institute’s acquisition of goods and (...)

COFECE probes national market for corn flour for possible anticompetitive practices* • The investigation should not be construed as a prejudgment, but as the authority’s verification of compliance with the Federal Law on Economic Competition. • The corn flour industry has sales for more than 24 (...)

COFECE’s Investigative Authority preliminarily determines the lack of effective competition in the rail transport of chemical and petrochemical products in the south of the state of Veracruz* The Investigative Authority’s Preliminary Opinion stipulates that lack of competition affects the rail (...)

Clarification on Disney/Fox transaction* Mexico City, February 6, 2019.- In August 2018, the Walt Disney Company (Disney) and Twenty-First Century Fox (Fox) notified, both the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) and the Federal Institute for Telecommunications (...)

COFECE investigates securities transportation services* Mexico City November 5th 2015.- Through the Mexican Official Gazette and its website, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE) Investigative Authority publicly announces the opening of an investigation derived from a (...)

COFECE sanctions Alsea and Grupo Axo for failing to notify a concentration* Mexico City, November 2nd 2015. - The Mexican Federal Competition Commission (COFECE) imposed sanctions for 1.5 million dollars to Alsea S.A.B de C.V (Alsea) and for one hundred and seventy four thousand dollars4 to (...)

COFECE conditions concentration1 between Soriana and Comercial Mexicana* Mexico City, October 8th 2015. - The Mexican Federal Competition Commission (COFECE) decided to challenge the concentration between Organización Soriana (Soriana) and Controladora Comercial Mexicana (CCM) in the terms in (...)

COFECE initiates public consultation on Guidelines for performing Absolute Monopolistic Practices investigations* The draft describes the nature of the investigation procedure for absolute monopolistic practices, how it is started and its main stages, among other aspects Mexico City, September (...)

COFECE opens public consultation on Technical Criteria for the request and emission of injunctive measures as well as the setting of sureties* Mexico City, September 22nd 2015. - The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) opened a 30 working day public consultation period so (...)

COFECE issues regulatory opinion to the Coahuila government regarding a proposal to regulate the distance between fuel service stations* Mexico City, September 15th 2015.- The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) issued a recommendation to the Head of the Executive Branch (...)

COFECE publishes an english version of the federal economic competition law* Mexico City, August 20th 2015. – Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission has released an English version of the Federal Economic Competition Law (Law). This document is a courtesy translation of the Law (...)

COFECE shall be vigilant of coordination to fix prices* In the context of the Mexican peso’s recent depreciation, the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) would like to make the following statements: The Mexican Constitution and applicable legislation that establish a (...)

COFECE sanctions passenger transportation companies in the state of Chiapas for absolute monopolistic practices* The Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE) Board of Commissionerssanctioned 7 passenger transportation companiesin the state of Chiapas with a total fine of $2.78 (...)

COFECE to Investigate Possible Absolute Monopolistic Practices in the Market for Pension Fund Administration Services in Mexico* Through the Mexican Federal Official Gazette and its website, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE or Commission) Investigative Authority announced (...)

COFECE publishes new monopolistic pratices guidelines* The Board Of Commissioners of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE or Commission) approved the Leniency Program and Sanction Reduction Guidelines, the Guidelines for filing an investigation process for relative monopolistic (...)

COFECE CONDITIONS MERGER BETWEEN BIO PAPPEL AND SCRIBE * The Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) accepted commitments presented by Bio Pappel Group to merge with Scribe Corporation. COFECE deemed these commitments would avoid risks to competition and free market access in (...)

COFECE recommends that the State of Tlaxcala review its transportation regulation* The Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) issued an ex-officio opinion for the Tlaxcala State Government and its local Congress to review the State’s Communications and Transport Law (CTL), its (...)

COFECE initiates investigation into air transport sector* Through the Mexican Federal Official Gazette and its website, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE) Investigative Authority publicly announced the extract of its ex-officio investigation initiation decision under file (...)

The Supreme Court of Justice decides on bid rigging in social security public tenders case* The Mexican Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) confirmed the legality of a resolution issued by the extinct Federal Competition Commission in 2010, against pharmaceutical enterprises Baxter, Fresenius, Eli (...)

COFECE opens investigation into the egg market* Mexico City, March 26th 2015. – Through its website, the Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE) Investigation Authority publicly announced the extract of its ex-officio initiation decision under file number IO-004-2015 concerning the (...)

COFECE Resolution Will Allow Haas Avocado Exportation to the U.S.A. for all Packers in Mexico* • The APEAM agreed to eliminate anticompetitive practices that imposed barriers on Hass avocado exports to the U.S.A. • COFECE will survey the APEAM’s strict compliance with proposed remedies. Mexico (...)

COFECE issues opinion on the regulation draft for iron and steel products* Mexico City, March 5th 2015. – On February 26th 2015, the Board of Commissioners of the Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) unanimously issued an opinion regarding the Draft Mexican Official Regulation (...)

Extract of the order by which the Federal Economic Competition Commission begins the ex officio investigation identified under the file number IEBC-001-2015, in the market of the provision of air transport services that use the International Airport of Mexico City for landing and/or take off (...)

COFECE Issues Opinion Regarding the Public Works and Related Services Bill* On February 9th, the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission’s (COFECE) Board of Commissioners unanimously issued an opinion regarding the Public Works and Related Services Bill, currently being discussed in the (...)

NOTICE by which the Federal Economic Competition Commission informs of the beginning of the ex officio investigation under file number IO-001-2015, on the possible commission of conducts contrary to the Federal Law of Economic Competition* At the margin a seal of the National Coat of Arms, (...)