•WARNING: Mexico’s competition authority (COFECE) warned Monday that a set of proposed regulatory changes in the Mexican fuel market -set to enter into force later this month- would complicate the importation of gasoline and limit consumers’ access to supply options.
•CHANGES: Drafted by the López Obrador administration with the explicit goal of favoring Mexican state-owned oil company Pemex, the regulatory changes would shorten the duration of fuel import permits something that COFECE said could affect investments in fuel storage and transportation.
• HAMPER: “If (changes to the regulation) are approved under the proposed terms, they would seriously hamper competition and free participation in the commercialization market of petroleum products”, COFECE said in an opinion that was sent to the Mexican Economy and Energy Ministries.
• COMPLAINTS: Following complaints by US trade associations, a group of more than 40 US lawmakers sent a letter to President Donald Trump alerting him about discrimination in the Mexican market arguing that recent changes undermined the recently enacted USMCA regional trade pact.
