FIND OUT ABOUT COVID-19 MEASURES IN MEXICO FOR IMPORTING FACEMASKS, VENTILATORS, AND OTHER MEDICAL DEVICES
Some measures for importing medical equipment and supplies have changed due to the current health situation. Read on to find out more.
CAN I BUY AND IMPORT FACEMASKS, VENTILATORS, AND OTHER MEDICAL SUPPLIES NEEDED TO COMBAT THE CORONAVIRUS?
Importing medical supplies to combat Covid-19 in Mexico is allowed. In fact, importing medical devices to deal with the health emergency brought about by the pandemic has been made easier to ensure the country has sufficient supplies.
There are two ways to import supplies:
- Directly from a foreign supplier, as long as they have all the permits and authorizations required to import each product, such as the industry registry.
- Through a marketer in Mexico, i.e. a transaction through a third party. The purchase agreement has to be signed prior to import, deposits and documentation have to come from the marketer, and all documents made out by the exporter must be addressed to the marketer. Domestic invoicing will take place once the goods are in Mexico.
HOW CAN I IMPORT FACEMASKS FROM CHINA?
If you want to import facemasks or other medical supplies from China, you need to have the following specific documentation in place before shipping them:
- Trade license.
- The company’s production license.
- Product inspection report from the Chinese Government.
- FDA and CE certifications for customs clearance.
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WHAT DOCUMENTATION DO YOU NEED TO IMPORT FACEMASKS, TESTS, GLOVES, AND OTHER MEDICAL DEVICES?
Medical devices must be approved at origin to be exported and must also have inward customs clearance in Mexico, so it is crucial to have the product’s datasheet for proper tariff classification. This classification will show the tariff to be paid and also the applicable non-tariff regulations, such as the need to be registered on the textile industry registry as a going concern, the labeling regulations, and showing that the importer in Mexico can distribute, store, and market the products.
Every product has to be checked individually to decide what documentation is required. The product’s datasheet enables us to classify the goods and obtain the tariff as well as the import requirements at destination.
Basic documentation
Some of the products needed to fight the Covid-19 virus which only require standard import documentation include:
- Medical glasses (safety glasses): tariff code 9004.90.99, paying 10% General Import Tax (IGI in Spanish). These have no non-tariff regulations.
- Medical face shields: tariff code 3926.90.99, exempt from IGI, requires labeling standard.
- Common latex gloves (not surgical): tariff code 4015.19.99, paying 15% IGI, requires labeling standard.
- Hand sanitizer: tariff code 3808.94.99, paying 5% IGI, requires labeling standard only for retail sale.
Import registry by industry
Other medical supplies have to be registered in the textile industry registry. An estimated price has also been set for them as an anti-dumping measure; when this price is lower, an automatic notification must be issued through the one-stop-shop:
- Facemask: tariff code 6307.90.99, paying 10% IGI, requires textile industry registry, labeling standard and the estimated price is USD 1.30.
- Single-use, long-sleeved, water-resistant gowns for medical use: tariff code 6307.90.99, paying 10% IGI, requires textile industry registry, labeling standard and the estimated price is USD 1.30.
- Overalls and set of disposable gown, cap and shoe covers: tariff code 6210.50.01, paying 20% IGI, requires textile industry registry, labeling standard and the estimated price is USD 1.
Health permit or registration
For health safety reasons, other medical supplies require health permits or registrations prior to importation:
- Latex surgical gloves: tariff code 4015.11.01, exempt from IGI, requires health permit or health registration.
- Ventilators for acute respiratory distress syndrome: tariff code 9019.20.01, exempt from IGI, requires health permit or health registration.
- Alcohol: tariff code 2207.10.01, paying 10% IGI, requires Federal Commission for Protection against Health Risks (COFEPRIS in Spanish) permits, labeling standard, mixed tariff of USD 0.36 per kg, Excise Duty on Production and Services (IEPS in Spanish).
- Contactless thermometer: tariff code 9025.19.03, exempt from IGI, requires health permit or health registration.
- Diagnostic reagent: tariff code 3822.00.99, paying 5% IGI, requires COFEPRIS permits.
MEASURES ADOPTED FOR THE IMPORTATION OF MEDICAL SUPPLIES
Cofepris has adopted the following measures to make it easier to import and export medical supplies and screening tests for the Covid-19 virus:
- To safeguard the supply of drugs and medical supplies, service counters will remain open for receiving health registration authorization and other associated procedures.
- In order to fast-track reception of national and international donations, the Ministry of Health, COFEPRIS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE in Spanish) will immediately issue import permits for the reception of donated supplies as long as they comply with stipulated standards.
- The National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control (CENAPRECE in Spanish) will check the quality, safety, and efficacy of ventilators before import permits are made out.
- To ensure the reliability of the results of the screening tests, COFEPRIS will issue a marketing permit which will be restricted to the emergency period.
To support the rollout of Mexico’s national vaccination program against Covid-19 and supply it, the Official Journal of the Federation, DOF 02/22/2021 published the DECREE amending the Tariff in the General Import and Export Taxes Law and creating the following tariff items exempt from import duties:
- 3002.20.10, vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Operations under the definitive import, temporary import or tax warehouse procedures have to submit a “Prior Health Importation Authorization” as stated in the DOF 23/02/2021.
- 7613.00.02 for oxygen tanks for medical use.
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