Amendment and Addition to the Electronic Signature Law of the Federal District

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Legal Update • September 5th, 2011

On August 16, 2011, the “Decree by which certain regulations are added to the Public Administration of the Federal District Organic Law; and to the Electronic Signature Law of the Federal District, and certain regulations of the Transparency and Public Information Access Law of the Federal District are amended” (the “Decree“), was published in the Official Gazette of the Federal District, and came into effect on August 17, 2011.

The purpose of the Electronic Signature Law of the Federal District (the “Electronic Signature Law”), current since January 1, 2010, is to regulate and promote the use of the electronic signature by the Executive, Legislative, Judicial and Autonomous entities of the Federal District (the “Public Entities”), as well as by individuals, in order to improve, simplify and make more accessible all the acts and processes in which they intervene.

The Decree reforms Article 22 of the Electronic Signature Law that now requires for the Public Entities to enable an Internet portal and an e-mail address, and authorizes them to open accounts in social media networks in the Internet, in order to announce the information about the public services and administrative processes carried out in the area of their respective jurisdiction. The Public Entities will have to comply with this obligation within a maximum term of twelve months counted as from the entry into effect of the Decree.

Likewise, the Decree imposes to the General Controllership of the Federal District (the “General Controllership”) the obligation to enable and manage a unique portal in the Internet under the name “Online Government 2.0″, which will concentrate the information of the public services and administrative processes rendered by each of the Public Entities. In order to comply with this obligation, the Public Entities will have to send such information to the General Controllership within a maximum term of six months counted as from the entry into effect of the Decree, and the General Controllership will have to enable the Internet portal within a maximum term of twelve months counted as from the same date.

Finally, the Decree establishes the principles of universal access, friendliness, reliability, innovation, multisectorial participation, security and administrative simplification as governing principles that must apply to the electronic government system.

For further information, please contact your principal Firm representative or one of the Partners listed below.

Mexico City Office
Mr. Jorge León-Orantes (Partner)
Ms. Paola Morales (Associate)
Tel.: +52 55 5279.5400
Fax: +52 55 5280.7840