MAY 2009 EDITION ARCHIVE
Legal Updates
300 PALABRAS - A(H1N1), What Did It Bring and What Did It Leave Behind?
Opinion by Dr. Mario Melgar-Adalid Mexico has captured the world's attention in the last few days. Aside from technical questions and the prognosis of the A(H1N1) virus outbreak, other points also stand out: the reaction of Mexican authorities, the attitude of the general population, and the varying responses from the international community. The consensus is that federal and state authorities, particularly in the Federal District and the State of Mexico, performed well in the midst of this outbreak... [Read More]Recent Case Decision - Consultations with Tax Authorities
The First Chamber of Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice recently approved case decision 1A./J21/2009 under the heading "Tax Consultations. Article 34 of the Fiscal Code of the Federation does not violate due process guarantees (legislation in force from January 1, 2007)." In such case decision, Mexico's highest court held that article 34 of the Fiscal Code of the Federation, which provides that tax guidance resulting from tax consultations with Mexican tax authorities is not obligatory... [Read More]Recommendations to Implement Workplace Emergency Plans in Light of the Influenza Epidemic
On May 4, 2009 Mexico's Department of Labor and Social Welfare (Secretaria del Trabajo y Prevision Social de Mexico or STPS) published a series of individual and collective health and sanitary guidelines for workplaces and meeting places which must be observed during the reactivation or normalization of their operations. The purpose of the plan is to facilitate identification and implementation of those health promotion, prevention and control measures that will contribute to minimizing the effects... [Read More]Business & Politics Outlook
Political Thermometer: Mexican Midterm Elections and Opinion Polls
Campaigns to elect all of the members of Mexico's Federal Lower House of Representatives (Cámara de Diputados) have just begun. The start of the campaign season was totally anti-climactic, especially since campaign openings in Mexico, as well as the final winding up period before the election, are usually huge events attended by many activists, candidates, political sympathizers and the general public. The A(H1N1) influenza epidemic in Mexico, and the measures adopted by the authorities... [Read More]Mexico Announces Fiscal Stimulus Plan
Mexico's Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Agustin Carstens announced on May 5th that the federal government will implement a fiscal stimulus plan for the private sector designed to ameliorate the economic damage caused by the influenza epidemic. The Secretary of Mexico's Treasury elaborated that, among other measures, the following will be proposed: (i) a 20% discount in Mexican Social Security Institute premium payments during the months of May and June of the current year, up to a... [Read More]Economic Indicators
Peso/Dollar Exchange Rate
The quoted exchange rate as of May 07, 2009 was 13.1103 pesos per dollar.Mexican Stock Exchange
The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) closed on May 7, 2009 at 23,589.40 points.Interest Rates
On May 7, 2009, the Average Interbank Interest Rate (TIEE) for a 28-day period was at 6.0475%.Mexico IP Info
Obligatory Licenses and Public Use Licenses for Patent Right
Mexican law by its nature recognizes the exclusive right of an inventor to protect inventions through patents on utility models or industrial designs granted by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial or IMPI). Based on a recent problem related to the A(H1N1) Human Influenza virus, it has been speculated that it could become possible for patent holders to grant "obligatory licenses" to third parties in the pharmaceutical industry in order... [Read More]