The Federal Economic Competition Commission (COFECE) has issued (6 January) a statement addressing the ongoing transition to a new autonomous competition authority, as outlined in recent legislation and the 2025 Federal Expenditure Budget (PEF 2025).
On December 20 and 24, 2024, the Mexican government published the Decree for Organic Simplification Reform and the PEF 2025 in the Diario Oficial de la Federación. These measures include plans to replace COFECE with a new technically and operationally autonomous body to oversee and penalize anti-competitive practices across all sectors of the economy. However, until the secondary laws are enacted and the reform takes full effect, COFECE remains responsible for fulfilling its current mandate.
COFECE’s Current Workload
COFECE is actively managing over 150 merger reviews, representing approximately 10% of Mexico’s GDP, to protect consumers from anti-competitive risks. The commission is also conducting 25 ongoing investigations in critical markets that impact Mexican families and promote a fair and inclusive economy.
Despite this significant workload, the 2025 budget allocation for COFECE is less than a third of the amount originally requested. This limited funding poses challenges to the commission’s ability to perform its duties effectively during the transition period.
Extraordinary Measures to Ensure Continuity
COFECE remains committed to providing certainty for investments that drive employment and economic growth. To address the budget shortfall, the commission is implementing extraordinary measures to ensure that its functions and procedures continue until responsibility transitions to the new authority.
COFECE is proactively engaging with government stakeholders to coordinate an orderly and well-resourced transition. This includes advocating for sufficient funding to maintain due process and investment certainty until the legislative framework for the new competition authority is finalized and implemented by Congress.
A Commitment to Robust Competition Policy
COFECE reaffirmed its dedication to fostering a strong and effective competition policy that benefits Mexican consumers and supports national economic development. It emphasized its willingness to contribute to a seamless transition that ensures the new authority is equipped to protect fair competition and economic fairness in Mexico.
The commission’s efforts aim to guarantee that the reform process upholds the principles of transparency, efficiency, and public welfare as Mexico enters a new era of competition regulation.
