Mexico amends the Miscellaneous Foreign Trade Rules affecting the Maquila program ("IMMEX")

On June 30th, 2011 Mexico modified the application of VAT to the sale of goods by foreign principals to Mexican Maquila entities. According to these new rules, the sale of a virtually exported good would be considered an internal sale subject to VAT withholding to be remitted by the resident purchaser. This represents an important change in the VAT treatment of virtually exported/imported goods in Mexico.