The Official Mexican Standards (NOM) are defined as technical regulations whose observance is mandatory. They serve to regulate services, products or processes that can become a danger to people, animals or the environment in general.
The Mexican Standards (NMX) are technical regulations issued by the Ministry of Economy whose application is voluntary and that allow establishing quality specifications on processes, products, services, test methods, competencies, etc., in addition to helping to guide the consumer. . It may be the case that an NMX is mandatory if it is explicitly referred to in a NOM.
NOM
Within the NOMs we find the necessary information, requirements, procedures, specifications and methodology that allow the different government agencies to establish certain evaluable parameters in order to avoid a risk to the population. The direct reflection of these Official Standards is that many products marketed in Mexico, from bottled water to car tires, carry the initials NOM accompanied by a numerical code on their labeling.
The Government is in charge of identifying the risks, as well as evaluating them and issuing the NOMs, although the most common thing is that during this process external experts in the matter intervene whose considerations are taken into account. Ultimately, the NOMs are prepared by technical committees made up of representatives of all sectors that have an interest in the subject, such as researchers, academics, industrial chambers, etc.
The institution of this regulation arises from the need to establish a common language in international trade, so as to guarantee compliance with minimum quality standards.
The most common NOMs include, among others, energy efficiency standards, business practice standards, business information standards, and methodological standards.
NMX
For many years the NMX were published within the Official Gazette of the Federation and by public entities of the government, but recently the way in which they are disseminated has changed and currently private organizations that are related to the matter in question are in charge of making them known. .
In any case, despite the differences that may exist between the two, the ultimate objective of both the NOM and the NMX is the same: to raise the quality of procedures to reduce costs and thus improve efficiency, while facilitating work. to companies and the service provided to the final consumer is improved.
Photos: iStock - NiroDesign / Filograph
