Readers with connections to Mexico may wish to take note that in March, 2012, enabling legislation will take effect permitting class action litigation in this southern neighbor.

While Mexico’s Consumer Protection Law had allowed for certain limited collective actions in consumer matters to be brought by the Federal Consumer Protection Agency, this marks a significant change. In April, 2010, the Mexican Congress passed an amendment to the Constitution permitting of class actions in federal courts in Mexico and requiring that class action implementing legislation be enacted within one year of the amendment’s effective date. The amendment was ratified by the required number of state legislatures, and Congress went to work. The Senate approved a class action bill in December, 2010, as we alerted you. The House approved one in April, 2011. The law was published in the Official Gazette on Aug. 30, 2011, with an effective date of March, 2012.