Mexico: Regulatory Background

Overview
The regulatory process generally produces 2 distinct types of regulation in Mexico: Norma Oficial Mexicana (NOM) – Official Mexican Standard, which establishes mandatory technical specifications, attributes, guidelines, or requirements for a product, process, facility, system, service or production or operating method, often meeting international standards; and Norma Mexicana (NMX) – Mexican Standards, which are not obligatory and generally provide guidelines and recommendations for a product, process, facility, system, service or production or operating method. Standards concerning emissions and fuel economy are established as Normas (NOMs), the process for which is as follows:
 * A standard or regulation is registered as part of the national standardization program.
 * An elaborated draft of the NOM is developed, which is accompanied by a formal regulatory impact.
 * The Ley Federal de Metrología y Normalización (LFMN), or National Measures and Standards law, is the formal doctrine that empowers the appropriate administrative body or agency to put forth and oversee regulations, but also requires they form a national advisory committee made of various stakeholders, including researchers, academics, and industry trade or professional associations to jointly develop a draft. (e.g. for any environmental standards, the appropriate agency would be SEMARNAT; when such a body or agency is not readily identified, the Ministria de Economia (Ministry of Economy) serves as default)
 * Once the consulting committee drafts the NOM, it is published in the Diario Oficial de la Federacion (DOF), the national registry or journal of laws, where it will be available for public scrutiny for 60 days.
 * The consulting technical committee responds to comments received and answers questions from the public; responses are published in the DOF.
 * The consulting committee orders the publication of the final NOM, indicating an effective date.

Emission standards and regulations for engines and vehicles are established and overseen by Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), the country's ministry of the environment and natural resources. Fuel quality standards are expected to be established jointly by Secretaria de Energía (SENER), Mexico's ministry of Energy, and SEMARNAT.

National
The following are national agencies with some level of oversight concerning vehicle emissions and fuel standards:


 * Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT) - The Ministry of the Environment and Natual Resources is the regulatory body charged with setting vehicle emissions standards.
 * Instituto Nacional de Ecología y Cambio Climatico (INECC) - the National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change is the research arm of SEMARNAT and provides technical analysis on environmental policy issues.
 * Comisión Nacional para el Uso Eficiente de la Energía (CONUEE) - National Commission on Energy Efficiency sets standards to improve energy efficiency, including fuel economy standards for new light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, and used vehicles.
 * Secretaría de Energía (SENER) - The Ministry of Energy oversees energy policy and has the authority to regulate fuel quality, in conjunction with SEMARNAT.
 * Secretaría de Economía (SE) - The Ministry of the Economy is responsible for formulating and handling the country's industry, foreign trade, interior, supply and price policies.
 * Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) - The Ministry of Communications and Transportation ensures safe, efficient, and competitive transportation and communications services.

Local
The following are municipal-level agencies with some level of oversight concerning vehicle emissions:
 * Metropolitan Environmental Commission (Comisión Ambiental Metropolitana - CAM) was established on 17 Sept 1996 and is responsible for developing mechanisms, criteria, and guidelines for the integration of programs, projects and special actions to prevent and control pollution in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City. A new commission, the Comisión Ambiental de la Megalópolis, was announced in September 2013 and will replace the CAM.
 * Ministry of Environment of the Federal District (Secretaría del Medio Ambiente del Gobierno del Distrito Federal) oversees all environmental activity within the Federal District.

Relevant Legislation, Programs and Plans
2012 General Law on Climate Change

In June 2012, the President passed a landmark climate bill, Ley General de Cambio Climático (LGCC) (General Law on Climate Change), which promises a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030.

2009-2012 Special Program on Climate Change

The Special Program on Climate Change (Programa Especial de Cambio Climatic) is a program of SEMARNAT to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Specifically, Goal 24 is the implementation of fuel economy and CO2 standards for new light-duty vehicles.

2009-2012 National Program for Sustainable Energy

The 2009-2012 National Program for Sustainable Energy (Programa Nacional para el Aprovechamiento Sustentable de la Energia) identifies opportunities to achieve optimum energy efficiency and generate substantial savings for Mexico in the medium and long term. Action 1.1.1 calls for an efficiency standard for new light-duty vehicles.

2007-2012 National Development Plan

The 2007-2012 National Development Plan (El Plan Nacional de Desarrollo) aims to establish national objectives, strategies and priorities for the administration to advance the transformation of Mexico on a solid, realistic, and responsible foundation. A key goal is to reduce GHG emissions and Strategy 10.3 specifically calls for the adoption of international vehicle emissions standards for CO2.

Current Standards
Air quality standards: Normas Mexicanas de Calidad del Aire (Mexican Air Quality Standards)

Fuel quality: NOM-086-SEMARNAT-2006

Light-duty emissions: NOM-042-SEMARNAT-2003

Light-duty fuel economy and GHG emissions: NOM-163-SEMARNAT-ENER-SCFI-2013

Heavy-duty emissions: NOM-044-SEMARNAT-2006 for diesel engines and NOM-076-SEMARNAT-2012 for engines that run on gasoline, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), and natural gas

Regulatory Documents

 * Ley Federal Sobre Metrologia y Normalizacion - National Measures and Standards Law


 * Reglamento de la Ley Federal Sobre Metrologia y Normalizacion -Federal Regulation of Measures and Standards


 * Ley General de Cambio Climático - General Law on Climate Change (2012)


 * Programa Especial de Cambio Climatic - Special Program on Climate Change (2009-2012)


 * El Plan Nacional de Desarrollo - National Development Plan (2007-2012 )


 * Programa Nacional para el Aprovechamiento Sustentable de la Energia - National Program for Sustainable Energy (2009-2012)

Links

 * Description of the regulatory process in Mexico


 * Definitions of national standards