Applications Related to the Use of Business Names to be Filed at the Ministry of Economy

Press Release No 134
Mexico City June 11, 2012. 

From June 16, the power to authorize the use or change of the company or business name of legal entities has been conferred upon the Secretariat of Economy as a result of the reform to the Foreign Investment Law and the Organic Law of Federal Public Administration, published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on December 15, 2011.
 
In an endeavor to optimize the process of opening a business, the Secretariat of Economy is developing a new information service to deal with the procedures resulting from its new assignment.
 
The service is expected to begin operations from September 17 of this year according to the new rules contained in Regulations to be published in the Official Gazette of the Federation. Following the example of international best practices, these procedures can be done on-line, quickly and securely using the electronic signatures known as "FIEL" (issued by the Tax Administration Service) and "FEA" (issued by the Secretariat of Economy itself).
 
Transition Phase:
 
The Secretariat of Foreign Affairs will provide their premises and computer system to the Secretariat of Economy for three months to give continuity to the service with the same quality standards as before.
During the transition phase, personnel commissioned from the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs will train Economy personnel to receive and process applications for the authorization of the use of a company or business name for the incorporation of companies; authorization to change a company or business name, and notices of use of company or business name, liquidation, merger or division of companies, being the Secretariat of Economy, in exercise of its new power, the authority empowered to decide what is admissible under the law.
 
Means by which applications can be filed:
 
1.         Service Windows. 
 
In the offices of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs where the service has been previously offered, namely: A) central offices, Plaza Juárez #20, Center, Cuauhtémoc district in Mexico City; and B) in its external agencies located in the States.
 
Opening hours: from Monday through Friday, from 09:00 to 14:30.
 
2.         Via Internet.
 
Through the “SIPAC Fiel” system, when the applicant is a public notary or broker. Public notaries or brokers interested in using this tool can call the Help Desk, mentioned below, or contact the General Directorate of Trade Regulations of the Secretariat of Economy directly; and
 
For the general public, through www.tuempresa.gob.mx, in the case of Variable Capital Corporations (S.A. de C.V.) or Limited Liability Companies with Variable Capital (S. de R.L. de C.V.).
 
During the transition period, the authorization or denial issued by the Secretariat of Economy shall not exceed two working days, counting from when the application was made, under the terms established in the Foreign Investment Law.
 
Pursuant to the provisions of Articles 27, Fraction I of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States and 14 of the Regulations of the Foreign Investment Law, notices of Mexican companies with the foreigner exclusion clause entering into agreements with foreigners, and notices of change of the foreigner admission clause, shall be filed with the central offices of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs and its external agencies.
 
Companies incorporated abroad which adopt Mexican nationality and therefore require authorization to use a company or business name according to the Foreign Investment Law, should apply under the same terms as the authorization of use of a company or business name mentioned above.
 
The Secretariat of Economy provides a Help Desk to answer any questions on the contents of this notice. The service is available from Monday through Friday, from 09:00 to 18:00, by:
 
a.         Toll-free call to 01800-08 32 666
b.         E-mail: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra spambots. Usted necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla. or Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra spambots. Usted necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla.
c.         On-line chat: www.economia.gob.mx
 
In its endeavor to facilitate the completion of procedures related to the life cycle of businesses, through the use of technology, simply, securely and with legal validity, the Secretariat of Economy is grateful to users for their comprehension during this transition phase. 

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