Despite regulatory complexity, investment in Mexico remains high

Mexico ranks arsenic the 3rd astir challenging state successful the satellite to bash business, according to the Global Business Complexity Index (GBCI) 2025, an yearly ranking that evaluates the regulatory complexity of doing concern successful 79 countries that collectively relationship for 94% of planetary GDP.

The index, published by accounting radical TMF Group, saw Mexico determination up 1 presumption this twelvemonth aft it came successful No. 4 past year. This consolidates its presumption arsenic 1 of the astir analyzable economies successful presumption of regulation, taxation, and administration.

Yet, this has not discouraged investments successful the country.

In the report, TMF Group notes that, contempt the volatile context, involvement successful Mexico remains undiminished. Many companies are not lone maintaining their concern plans but are besides investing successful the agelong term.

“What we spot astir successful our concern is that concern continues unabated. It’s coming from the United States, Europe, and China, with companies determined to found themselves here,” Dunia Salomón, managing manager for TMF Group successful Mexico, told Expansión magazine.

She said that the state attracts concern due to the fact that of its strategical geographic determination and its web of commercialized agreements, cardinal to nearshoring. Despite the uncertain situation and caller reforms successful labour and judicial matters, Mexico remains unfastened to the public.

“It has challenges, but it hasn’t stopped being competitive,” adds Dunia Salomón.

The accrued complexity of doing concern successful Mexico is owed to aggregate factors, Salomón said. One is that  determination is besides a deficiency of uniformity successful the exertion of regulations: 1 bureau whitethorn necessitate 5 requirements, portion different whitethorn necessitate six for the aforesaid permit. Digitalization is advancing, but it has not yet wholly replaced in-person procedures. This creates bottlenecks, particularly aft the pandemic, erstwhile request accrued and operational capableness had not afloat recovered.

Mexico besides mislaid crushed compared to different countries connected the ranking, which made faster advancement successful simplifying their regulatory processes.

Meanwhile, TMF Group notes that the main situation isn’t the complexity itself, but alternatively the uncertainty surrounding immoderate processes and the ambiguous mentation of definite rules.

Salomón thinks that for investors, “the cardinal is to person a wide enactment program and situation themselves with experts who recognize the section environment.”

“The state is attractive, but it requires preparation. It’s not capable to use the aforesaid look arsenic successful different jurisdictions. Here, you request section advice, patience, and knowledge. That’s the quality betwixt palmy enlargement and failure,” says Salomón.

As portion of Plan Mexico and to boost investment, the authorities created the National Digital Investment Window, which provides guidance and enactment for overseas companies. TMF’s wide manager successful Mexico said that the results of this inaugural would beryllium reflected betwixt 2026 and 2027. By then, Mexico should amusement advancement successful simplifying procedures and reducing administrative barriers. If it manages to instrumentality these measures, it could determination down the ranking of the complexity of doing business.

With reports from Expansión