Mexico subjects certain foreign acquisitions to prior authorisation by the National Commission on Foreign Investment (CNIE). Under Art. 9 of the Foreign Investment Act, CNIE approval is required where a foreign investor seeks to acquire, directly or indirectly, more than 49% of a Mexican company and the target company’s total assets exceed the annual threshold determined by the CNIE. In 2025, the threshold is set at approximately USD 1.6 million.
In assessing authorisation requests, the CNIE considers, inter alia, expected effects on employment and training, the investment’s technological contribution, compliance with environmental requirements, and impacts on competitiveness, and it may impose only conditions that do not distort international trade (Art. 29). The CNIE may also deny authorisation on national security grounds (Art. 30).

There are concerns that Art. 50 of the Provisions on Electronic Payment Fund Institutions might force firms to choose only cloud providers based in Mexico, thus indirectly imposing a local data processing requirement. The law requires electronic payment fund institutions to use secondary cloud services provided by a company that is not subject to a different jurisdiction. That would mean that the secondary cloud provider would need to be subject to the Mexican jurisdiction and, therefore, be located in the country.

Mexico is not a signatory of the 1996 World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) nor the 2015 expansion (ITA II).

Pursuant to Art. 39.3 of the Public Sector Procurement, Leasing and Services Act, public tenders may be conducted under three modalities: (i) national, limited to Mexican suppliers or to suppliers offering goods or services with at least 50% national content; (ii) international under treaty coverage, open to Mexican suppliers and to suppliers from countries with which Mexico has an applicable free trade agreement or other procurement-covered treaty; and (iii) open international, in which both domestic and foreign suppliers may participate regardless of nationality.
Art. 39.3 further provides that the open international modality may be used only where: (i) a national tender has been declared void; (ii) its use is required under an external-loan arrangement; (iii) market research shows that a foreign option is more cost-effective even after applying a domestic preference margin of up to 15%; or (iv) market research indicates that suitable suppliers or goods are unavailable, or cannot meet the required quantity, quality, or delivery timeframe, either in Mexico (where the procurement is not treaty-covered) or in Mexico and the relevant treaty-partner countries (where the procurement is treaty-covered).
In addition, Art. 39.1 provides that national tenders are restricted to persons of Mexican nationality and require that the goods be produced in Mexico with at least 65% national content, calculated on the basis of labour, inputs/assets, and other factors determined through general rules issued by the Ministry of Economy. National tenders may be used where the contract value falls below the thresholds established in Mexico’s procurement-covered treaties, or where the relevant goods are subject to a treaty reservation.

Pursuant to Art. 113 of the Regulations to the Public Sector Procurement, Leasing and Services Act, where procurement is carried out under exceptions to open tendering (as provided in Art. 55 of the Act), agencies must award at least 50% of the annual value of acquisitions to MSMEs, cooperatives, social economy entities certified by the National Institute of Social Economy (NISE), and priority groups. At least 25% of that value must be awarded specifically to cooperatives and to National Institute of Social Economy–certified social economy entities.
In addition, Art. 48 of the Act provides that, in the event of a tie in an open tender, preference must be given to cooperatives and to NISE–certified social economy organisations, including those that promote the labour-market inclusion of women and vulnerable persons and those constituted by priority groups, provided they hold the relevant incorporation and registration documentation under the applicable legal framework.

It is reported that market approval for products using radio technologies in Jamaica is granted by the Spectrum Management Authority (SMA). The SMA certification is a national certification scheme based on the specifications of the Conformité Européenne (CE) marking, the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification. However, it is reported that, in Jamaica, typically one sample of the product is required for approval requests.
Tests and certificates issued for CE marking and FCC certification can be reused for SMA certification. Type approval for Radio Communication equipment in Jamaica is obtained through the recognition of type approval test reports prepared in accordance with international standards. However, technical documents must be reviewed and validated by the Bureau of Standards, Jamaica.

According to the Jamaica Customs Agency official website, the de minimis threshold, that is the minimum value of goods below which customs do not charge duties, is USD 100, below the 200 USD threshold recommended by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

The Electronic Transactions Act and the Consumer Protection Act provide a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions.

Jamaica has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.

Jamaica has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Jamaica has adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.

Under Regulation 26(1)–(3) of the Radio and Telegraph Control (Dealers and Experimental Radio Station Licences) Regulations, 1987, subject to the applicable exceptions, a person may not import or otherwise bring into Jamaica apparatus designed to emit radio waves unless a valid licence authorising its use is produced to Customs. Customs officers must detain radio apparatus brought into Jamaica in breach of this requirement. The measure is based on the technical characteristics of the equipment and may cover radio-transmitting equipment classified under parts of HS 8517 and HS 8525, including two-way radios, base stations and broadcasting transmitters, depending on whether the equipment requires an individual spectrum licence.
In addition, according to Art. 9 of the Telecommunications Act, 2000, no person may sell, trade in or import any prescribed telecom equipment unless they hold a dealer’s licence. Pursuant to Art. 13 of the Act, upon receipt of a recommendation from the Office, the Minister may grant a dealer’s licence authorising the licensee to sell, trade in or import such prescribed telecom equipment.

According to Section 1 of Art. 31 of The Data Protection Act, personal data shall not be transferred to a State or territory outside of Jamaica unless that State or territory ensures an adequate level of protection for the rights and freedoms of data subjects in relation to the processing of personal data. However, according to Section 3 of Art. 31, the aforementioned condition is not necessary for a transfer that falls within any of the cases specified in subsection 4, including:
- The interested individual consents to the transfer;
- The transfer is necessary for the performance of a contract between the data subject and the data processor;
- The transfer is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest;
- The transfer is necessary for the purpose of, or in connection with, any legal proceedings (including possible legal proceedings);
- The transfer is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject;
- The transfer is made on terms that are of a kind approved by the Commissioner as ensuring adequate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of data subjects;
- The Commissioner has authorised the transfer to be made in a manner that ensures adequate safeguards for the rights and freedoms of data subjects;
- The transfer is necessary for the purposes of national security or the prevention, detection, or investigation of criminal offences.