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Mexico certifies that all the country's ports will be Green Ports. The Government of Mexico is redoubling is efforts to ensure that the country continues to be a safe, reliable destination for investment and the development of sustainable projects.

In 2013, Mexico introduced an ambitious programme of reform in 11 different sectors, including: competition policy, tax policy, energy, financial services and telecommunications. (...) The tax reform programme provided for a review of taxation in order to improve tax collection. The measures adopted included (...) the introduction of "green" taxes, leading to growth in tax revenue, from 9.7% of GDP in 2013 to 13.1% in 2015, while government finances became significantly less dependent on oil revenue. (...)

(...) Following the reforms effected during the period under review, the activities reserved exclusively to the State are currently the following inter alia: exploration for and extraction of hydrocarbons; electricity transmission and distribution; generation of nuclear energy; radioactive minerals; telegraph and radio telegraph services; postal services; and control, supervision and surveillance of ports, airports and heliports.

Mexico imposes non tariff measures to protect national security, public health, plant and animal health or the environment and for balance of payments reasons. (...)

Mexico regulates exports and imposes export duties in order to guarantee supplies or to protect human health, the environment, fauna, flora and the cultural heritage. (...)

Mexico continues to face the challenge of increasing labour productivity and making the economy generally more competitive. During the review period, the Government introduced policy changes to that end, including a programme of 11 structural reforms covering various sectors and areas. These were:
- energy reform: a new law was passed that substantially reforms the energy sector (Section 4.2). The aim is to secure energy requirements, specifically oil, electricity, renewable energy and natural gas, while laying the foundations for modernization of the sector to attract investment and boost economic growth and job creation;
(...)

Box 1.1 Key measures of the 2014 Tax Reform
(...)
Green taxes
• A flat rate tax on fossil fuels was established, based on carbon content. In 2015, the rates charged on different types of fuel were as follows: propane: Mex$5.91 cents per litre; butane: Mex$7.66 cents per litre; gasoline (petrol) and aviation fuel: Mex$10.38 cents per litre; jet fuel and other kerosenes: Mex$12.40 cents per litre; diesel: Mex$12.59 cents per litre; fuel oil: Mex$13.45 cents per litre; petroleum coke: Mex$15.60 per tonne; coking coal: Mex$36.57 per tonne; coal: Mex$27.54 per tonne; other fossil fuels: Mex$39.80 per tonne of carbon contained in the fuel. The amount of the tax will be adjusted annually according to the variation in the national consumer price index, so as to remain constant in real terms.
• The reform also introduced an ad valorem tax on pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, based on the product's toxicity category, with rates of between 0% and 9% as from 2015 (in 2014 the rates were between 0% and 4.5%). In the case of imports, the tax base is the value used for tariff purposes, plus other levies payable, except for VAT.
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Table 2.1 Institutions involved in trade policy
Ministries Main functions
(...)
Environment and Natural Resources • Formulate and conduct national policy on natural resources;
• establish official regulations on the sustainable use of natural resources;
• propose the formulation of policies on international affairs and foreign trade;
• together with the SHCP, help set the general criteria for establishing fiscal and financial incentives;
• propose to the SE the adoption of regulations or restrictions on imports or exports of natural resources.
(...)

On 5 October 2015, the countries participating in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) announced the end of the negotiations and the parties signed the agreement on 4 February 2016. This agreement contains 30 chapters that cover trade in goods (including customs cooperation and trade facilitation; sanitary and phytosanitary measures; technical barriers to trade; and trade remedies), trade in services, government procurement, intellectual property rights, the environment and SMEs. It also encompasses e commerce and other issues pertaining to the Internet and the digital economy. The TPP will take effect once it has been ratified by all the countries in accordance with their internal procedures, within two years of its signature. Failing this, the TPP will enter into force in 2018, when it has been ratified by at least six original signatories that together account for at least 85% of the 2013 GDP of the original signatories.

Administratively, the principal bodies tasked with regulating and managing foreign investment continue to be the National Foreign Investment Commission (CNIE), the Directorate General of Foreign Investment (DGIE) and the National Foreign Investment Register (RNIE). They are all attached to the Ministry of the Economy (SE). Composed of several Ministries, the CNIE is chaired by the Minister of the Economy and is responsible for issuing foreign investment policy guidelines, designing mechanisms to promote investment in Mexico and approving certain types of FDI, as well as the terms and conditions governing the participation of foreign investment in activities and acquisitions subject to specific regulation. The Commission must decide on the applications it receives within 45 working days at the most, failing which the application is deemed to be approved. In considering applications, the CNIE must be mindful of several criteria, such as the impact on employment and worker training, the technological contribution, compliance with environmental provisions and the contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of the country's production sector , while specifically ensuring that these requirements do not distort international trade, except when national security must be protected. The DGIE is responsible for handing down administrative decisions on foreign investment pursuant to the LIE, as well as for managing the RNIE.