In Mexico, since 2000 RIA and public consultation on draft regulation has been mandatory for all regulatory proposals coming from the executive. Mexico strengthened its RIA process by adding in 2016 assessments of impacts on foreign trade and consumer rights, which complement existing assessments on competition and risk. Since 2012, mandatory guidelines require the use of ex post evaluation of technical regulations, and since 2018 regulations with compliance costs have to be evaluated every five years.
The new General Law of Better Regulation to reform the Mexican Constitution with regards to regulatory policy was issued in May 2018. Besides modernizing the policy, it also establishes the National System of Better Regulation, specifying the duties and responsibilities of autonomous bodies and state and municipal governments. The Law requires subnational governments to adopt key tools such as RIA. Mexico should ensure full implementation of these tools, as some of the largest regulatory barriers remain at regional level.
Indicators presented on RIA and stakeholder engagement for primary laws only cover processes carried out by the executive, which initiates approx. 34% of primary laws in Mexico. There is no formal requirement in Mexico for consultation and for conducting RIAs to inform the development of primary laws initiated by parliament.
