On 5 November 2025, Mexico's Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (Agencia de Seguridad, Energía y Ambiente – “ASEA”) published in the Federal Official Gazette a new Accord establishing actions to simplify procedures applicable to the hydrocarbons sector. This new measure builds upon the simplification program launched in May 2025 and aligns with the recently enacted National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures, seeking to promote regulatory efficiency, digitalization, and transparency. The Agreement introduces updated forms, merges overlapping processes, and reduces administrative burdens for regulated parties, particularly in environmental and operational authorizations.
The new ASEA Simplification Accord introduces a series of regulatory improvements for five core procedures within the hydrocarbons sector, including Operating Licenses, the Operating License (LAU), and Notices of Operation and Maintenance.
Key measures include:
- Merging of redundant procedures, such as the Authorization and Update of Operating Licenses (formerly ASEA-01-009-A and ASEA-01-010-A), now unified under the new code ASEA-2025-005-012-A.
- Removal of unnecessary requirements, including the submission of installation sketches, and clearer guidance within the revised forms.
- Reduction of processing time for the Environmental Unified License (ASEA-03-001) from 96 to 70 calendar days, enhancing responsiveness to regulated entities.
- Issuance and update of official forms (FF-ASEA-022, FF-ASEA-023, FF-ASEA-061, and FF-ASEA-062), which must now be used for all new submissions, notices, and compliance reports.
The Accord clarifies that procedures submitted prior to its entry into force will be resolved under the regulations effective at the time of filing. ASEA will also update all corresponding information in the National Citizen Portal for Procedures and Services, as mandated by the new National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures.
This package represents one of the first concrete steps by a federal agency to implement the 2025 reform aimed at reducing bureaucratic complexity and fostering a more efficient regulatory environment for Mexico’s hydrocarbons industry.
Next steps
The Accord takes effect on the next business day following its publication, triggering immediate compliance obligations for regulated entities. Companies in the hydrocarbons sector should promptly review their current processes to ensure full alignment with the new regulatory framework. In particular:
- Review ongoing procedures: Verify which version of the forms applies depending on the date of submission.
- Update internal templates and checklists: As of 6 November 2025, all new filings must use the updated formats.
- Identify simplification opportunities: Companies may benefit from shorter processing times and fewer documentary requirements in licensing and operational filings, especially for service stations, storage terminals, and transportation facilities.
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