International Standards

The Secretariat of Economy (SE), through the Mexican Bureau of Standards (Dirección General de Normas, or DGN), is the organization with the authority to manage and coordinate standardization activities in Mexico, although COFEMER (The Federal Commission for Regulatory Improvement) also has an important technical role in developing  new standards.  The Secretariat’s  authority is derived from the Federal Law of Metrology and Standardization  (Ley Federal de Metrología y Normalización, or LFMN), enacted in 1988 to provide greater transparency and access by the public and interested parties to the standards development  process. The implementing  regulations (Reglamento  de la Ley Federal sobre Metrología y Normalización)  were published in Mexico’s Official Gazette (Diario Oficial de la Federacion, or DOF). In accordance with the federal law, the Federal Law of Metrology and Standardization,  and its Regulation (Reglamento de la Ley Federal sobre Metrología y Normalización),  the National Standardization  Program (Programa Nacional de Normalización,  or PNN) is published annually in the Official Gazette, which is the official document used to plan, inform and coordinate the standardization  activities, both public and private, carried out by the Mexican Government.

There are two main bodies:

1. NOMs: Mexican Official Standards – these are Technical Regulations,  including labeling requirements,  issued by government  agencies and secretariats. Compliance is mandatory.

2. NMX: Mexican “Voluntary” Standards – these are voluntary standards issued by recognized national standards-making bodies. Compliance is mandatory only when a claim is made that a product meets the NMX, when a NOM specifies compliance, and whenever applicable in government procurement.

Any bureau, person or council can propose the creation or modification of an official Mexican standard (NOM) to the appropriate committee.

Standards Organizations

The National Standardization Commission (Comision Nacional de Normalización, or CNN)

The CNN is coordinating  body for standards policy at the national level (http://www.economia.gob.mx/standards).  Currently, it is comprised of 43 members, including federal administration entities, chambers, national standardization bodies and associations related to standardization.

The CNN's main function is to approve the National Standardization Program; establish the coordination guidelines between agencies and entities at the federal level; prepare and diffuse standards; resolve any differences between the national consulting standardization committees; and comment on the registration of national standardization bodies.

The National Standardization Technical Committees (Comités Técnicos de Normalizacion, or CTE)

The committees are bodies recognized by the Secretariat of Economy and their main function is to create Mexican voluntary standards (NMX) in those areas where the National Standardization bodies do not exist.

The Mexican government entities that develop NOMs include:

• Secretariat of Economy (SE)

• Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS)

• Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR)

• Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL)

• Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) Secretariat of Energy (SENER)

• Secretariat of Health (SSA)

Mexican standards are classified into economic sectors according to the following table:

Source: Ministry of Economy

The DGN publishes the National Standardization Program (Programa Nacional de Normalización, or PNN) annually in the first quarter of the year. It is available at:http://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5390097&fecha=24%2F04%2F2015.

Organizations that develop voluntary standards (NMXs) include:

• Electrical - Association of Standardization and Certification (ANCE)

• Quality systems - Mexican Institute of Standardization and Certification (IMNC)

• Textiles - Mexican Institute of Textile Standardization (INNTEX)

• Construction - Building and Construction Standardization and Certification Body (ONNCCE)

• Food Products and Quality Systems - Mexican Society of Standardization and Certification (NORMEX)

• Electronics - Electronic Standardization and Certification (NYCE)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ‘Notify U.S.’ Service
Member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are required under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) to report to the WTO all proposed technical regulations that could affect trade with other Member countries. Notify U.S. is a free, web-based e-mail subscription service that offers an opportunity to review and comment on proposed foreign technical regulations that can affect your access to international markets. Register online at:http://www.nist.gov/notifyus/.

Conformity Assessment

Certain NOMs require products to obtain a certificate of compliance issued by an accredited certification body. In the case of products manufactured outside Mexico, this certificate must accompany the import documentation at the port of entry.
All products, processes, methods, installations, services or activities must comply with Mexican Official Standards. The Federal Law of Metrology and Standardization established the possibility for private entities to perform the conformity assessment function through visual verification, sampling, measurement, laboratory testing or documentary examination.
 
Accredited conformity assessment bodies are classified in the following categories:

• Certification Bodies

• Testing Laboratories

• Calibration Laboratories

• Verification Units

Under NAFTA, Mexico was required, starting January 1, 1998, to recognize conformity assessment bodies in the United States and Canada on terms no less favorable than those applied in Mexico. After years of negotiations, two U.S. certification bodies were finally accredited. On August 17, 2010, the Secretariat of Economy  published  in the  Official  Gazette  an executive  order  and  amendments  to the  foreign  trade  general  regulations  to unilaterally  accept  product certifications from U.S. and Canadian certifying bodies as equivalent. The three Mexican technical regulations included in this equivalency executive order are NOMs 001-SCFI (audio and video equipment), 016-SCFI (office electrical appliances) and 019-SCFI (information technology equipment-safety).  Currently, only certificates issued by the following three U.S.-based certifying bodies have been accepted as equivalent by the Mexican government:

• Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc.

• TÜV Rheinland of North America, Inc.

• Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Given the differences between U.S. and Mexican conformity assessment systems, significant custom-import logistical challenges remain unresolved.

Based upon agreements  with other agencies,  as well as with other certification  organizations,  the DGN has established  procedures  for the certification  of products to both technical regulations (NOMs) and voluntary Standards (NMXs).

Conformity  Assessment  procedures  issued by the Secretariat  of Economy/DGN  tend to be more fully developed and cover a significantly  greater range of NOMs than those of other secretariats that develop NOMs.

Product Certification and Accreditation

In 1999, the Mexican government authorized the first private organization to accredit conformity assessment bodies (calibration laboratories, certification bodies, testing  laboratories,  and  verification/inspection   units).  This  private  non-profit  institution  is  known  as  EMA  (Entidad  Mexicana  de  Acreditación/Mexican Accreditation Entity).

Calibration Laboratories

Calibration  laboratories  are responsible  for transferring  the precision  of reference  standards  to the measurement  instruments  used in the commercial  and industrial sectors. The calibration laboratories can be sponsored by public or private organizations, including universities, professional associations and private companies. Individuals interested in performing calibration activities can obtain certification after meeting the certification requirements set by law.
 
Committees, made up of technicians and specialists in metrology, evaluate applications for certification as calibration laboratories.  These committees make recommendations to the DGN for final decisions on certification.  The committees also establish the technical specifications  for the evaluation of calibration laboratories, set the precision requirements for the calibration chains, and set the methods for comparison of standards.

Certification Bodies

EMA has accredited several organizations for certifying compliance in different fields. The accreditation list includes, but it is not limited to, the following organizations:

• ANCE - Asociación de Normalización y Certificación (product certification body for the electric sector NOMs)

• CALMECAC - Calidad Mexicana Certificada, A.C. (Certified Mexican Quality)

• CNCP - Centro Nacional Para la Calidad del Plástico (Mexican Center for the Quality of Plastic) CRT - Consejo Regulador Del Tequila (Tequila Regulation Council)

• IMNC - Instituto Mexicano De Normalización y Certificación, A.C. (Mexican Institute of Standardization and Certification)

• INNTEX - Instituto Nacional De Normalización Textil, A.C. (Mexican Institute of Textile Standardization)

• NORMEX - Sociedad Mexicana de Normalización y Certificación, S.C. (Mexican Society of Standardization and Certification)

• NYCE - Normalización y Certificación Electrónica (Electronic Standardization and Certification)

• ONNCCE - Organismo de Normalización y Certificación de la Construcción y Edificación (Building and Construction Standardization and Certification Body)

• UL de Mexico - Underwriters Laboratories de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (product certification body for electric and electronic equipment)

• Intertek (product certification body for electric and electronic equipment)

The Secretariat of Economy publishes foreign trade rules and general criteria in the Diario Oficial (Mexico’s Federal Register notice equivalent), which lists all products by tariff number that must comply with a NOM at the point of entry into Mexico. This document is constantly updated to reflect cancellations or changes in NOMs or the application of new ones.

Testing Laboratories

Testing laboratories are responsible for certifying that products meet Mexican standards. These labs are normally commercial entities that make a profit from the testing of samples. The DGN through EMA is responsible for granting authorizations to test laboratories after receiving the recommendations of the Testing Laboratory Evaluating Committees (Comités de Evaluación de Laboratorios de Pruebas).

Each committee oversees a group of evaluators who visit the testing laboratories, review their organization, capabilities, staffs, etc. Testing laboratories must fully comply with standard NMX-EC-17025-IMNC-2006/ISO 17025:2005, which sets the requirements that testing laboratories must comply with. Once the evaluators have made their review, they submit a report to the committee. Then, the committee writes its recommendations to the DGN, which, in turn, informs the laboratory of the results. Those applicants not receiving authorization are permitted to make the necessary modifications to their facilities in order to comply with standard NMX-EC-17025-IMNC-2006/ISO 17025:2005. After the committee verifies that the laboratory meets the requirements, a second report is prepared for the DGN.

Authorizations as testing laboratories  are valid for two years and can be renewed upon written request. Testing laboratories are required to maintain their technical capabilities and to make any modifications that the committee may set. Testing laboratories must notify the DGN of any change in equipment, location, and administration. Laboratories have the option to withdraw their certification.

Verification Units

Verification or inspection units check and provide a report or proof of compliance corroborated either visually or by sampling, measuring, testing in laboratories, or examining documents. Labeling NOMs, for example, do not require products to obtain a certificate of compliance; however, verification units can determine whether or not a technical regulation has been correctly applied.

On June 18, 2001, the Mexican standard NMX-EC-17020-IMNC-2000 (equivalent to ISO/IEC 17020:1998) went into effect to make the accreditation process of verification units consistent with international standards. As of January 2002, the procedure to evaluate and accredit verification units became effective.

Publication of Technical Regulations

The  PNN  is  developed  annually  by  the  Technical  Secretariat  of  the  National  Standardization  Commission,  revised  by  the  Technical  Council  of  the aforementioned  entity, and approved by the National Standardization  Commission (Comisión Nacional de Normalización, or CNN) in its first meeting of every year.

The LFMN and its Regulation establish a time frame for each step of the NOM-making process (development, draft publication in the DOF, and publication of modified and definitive technical regulations and standards) and within the PNN framework. The accomplishment of these tasks is limited to the span of a year. The actual NOM-making period, however, is contingent upon various factors, including the complexity of the topic and the uncertain period between each step (i.e. publishing period in the DOF, draft response, comments, and final technical regulation and standard). Evaluations of the PNN indicate, more often than not, that the standardization process requires more than a year in order to adequately meet its objectives.

Federal Agencies that want to propose a new NOM must create a Committee, known as National Consulting Standardization Committee (CCNN). The project of the NOM is registered in the National Program of Standardization (Programa Nacional de Normalización or PNN), and published for review and comments in the Official Gazette for 60 days. After that, the CCNN analyzes the comments and publishes them in the Gazette and authorizes the final NOM.

The process to create a new NMX is done in a similar way: the standard is developed by the National Standardization  Body or the National Standardization Technical Committee (CTNN) coordinated by the Secretariat of Economy.
For more information, see: http://www.economia.gob.mx/comunidad-negocios/competitividad-normatividad/normalizacion

Labeling and Marking

All products intended for retail sale in Mexico must bear a label in Spanish prior to their importation to Mexico. Products that must comply with commercial and commercial/sanitary information NOMs must follow the guidelines as specified in the applicable NOM. Most NOMs require commercial information to be affixed, adhered, sewn, or tagged onto the product, with at least the following information in Spanish:

• Name or business name and address of the importer

• Name or business name of the exporter

• Trademark or commercial name brand of the product

• Net contents (as specified in NOM-030-SCFI-2006  DOF November 4, 2006)

• Use, handling, and care instructions for the product as required; and warnings or precautions on hazardous products

This information must be attached to the product, packaging or container, depending on the product characteristics. This information must be affixed to products as prepared for retail sale. Listing this information on a container in which a good is packed for shipment will not satisfy the labeling requirement.

NOMs do not explicitly state that country of origin is required on the label prior to importation. Mexican fiscal regulations do require country of origin designation to be in Spanish.The importer's taxpayer number (commonly known as RFC) is also recommended.

Products imported into Mexico must comply with the country’s standards and regulations before they can be sold on the Mexican market. There exist two types of standards in Mexico:

Mexican Official Standards (NOMS) – which represent the technical regulations of the country and  include labeling requirements; these standards are mandatory.

Mexican “Voluntary” Standards (NMX) - represent voluntary standards promulgated by recognized national standards-making bodies. Compliance is mandatory only when it is requested. 

Standards Organizations

The National Standardization Commission (Comisión Nacional de Normalización, CNN) is the body responsible for standards policy at the national level. The National Standardization Commission's primary function is to establish the coordination guidelines between agencies and entities at the federal level, to approve the National Standardization Program, as well as develop and diffuse standards. 

The National Standardization Technical Committees (Comités Técnicos de Normalizacion, or CTE) is the body which creates voluntary standards, in the fields where the National Standardization bodies do not exist.

The following bodies represent Mexican government entities that develop NOMs:

- Secretariat of Economy (SE)

- Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) Secretariat of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS)

- Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) Secretariat of Tourism (SECTUR)

- Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL)

- Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) Secretariat of Energy (SENER)

- Secretariat of Health (SSA)

The following bodies develop voluntary standards:

- Electrical - Association of Standardization and Certification (ANCE)

- Quality systems - Mexican Institute of Standardization and Certification (IMNC)

- Textiles - Mexican Institute of Textile Standardization (INNTEX)

- Construction - Building and Construction Standardization and Certification Body (ONNCCE)

- Food Products and Quality Systems - Mexican Society of Standardization and Certification (NORMEX)

- Electronics - Electronic Standardization and Certification (NYCE)

- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ‘Notify U.S.’ Service

Mexican standards are classified into economic sectors, and are expressed by letters:

- Textile Industry - A

- Steel Products - B

- Products and Equipment for Medical, Hospital and Laboratory Use - BB

- Construction Materials -C

- Plastics and their Products - E

Conformity Assessment

Certain official standards require products to obtain a certificate of compliance issued by an accredited certification body. If the goods are manufactured abroad, this certificate must accompany the import documentation at the port of entry.

Testing and calibration laboratories, certification bodies and verification units are the entities in charge of the conformity assessment of the goods.

Labeling and Marking

Imported products intended to be sold in Mexico must have a label in Spanish. The following details must be present on the label (in Spanish):

- Name/business name and address of the importer

- Name/business name of the exporter

- Trademark/commercial name brand 

- Net contents

- Use, handling, and care instructions for the product as required

- Warnings/precautions (for hazardous products)

There is not explicitly stated in NOMs if the country of origin is required on the label. However, it is recommended to include this information in order to avoid difficulties. It is also recommended to include the importer's taxpayer number on the label.

National Standardization Commission

http://www.economia.gob.mx/standards 

Mexican Official Standards

http://www.economia-noms.gob.mx/noms/inicio.do