Avocado Production in Michoacán
Submission ID: SEM-23-002
Party concerned: Mexico
Date filed: February 2, 2023
Submission Status: Open
Latest Update: May 24, 2023
The Secretariat determined that the submission met the criteria of Article 24.27(2), and requested a response from the concerned government Party in accordance with Article 24.27(3).
Summary of the matter addressed in the submission:
The Submitter asserts that Mexico is failing to effectively enforce its environmental laws to protect forest ecosystems and water quality from the adverse environmental impacts of avocado production in Michoacán, Mexico.
In submission SEM-23-002 (Avocado Production in Michoacán), the Submitter asserts that Mexico is failing to protect forests and water resources in Michoacán from environmental impacts and deforestation caused by the continued expansion of avocado plantations. In particular, the Submitter claims that Mexico is failing to uphold provisions of the Mexican Constitution and various federal laws focused on environmental impact assessment, forestry conservation, sustainable development, water quality, climate change and environmental protection.
The Submitter maintains that forests play an important role in providing wildlife habitat, supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, conserving soil, filtering water, and recharging aquifers, among other contributions. The Submitter underscores the remarkable growth of the avocado industry in Michoacán in recent decades, positioning it as the main exporter of avocados in the world, most of which are exported to the United States. The Submitter acknowledges that not all avocado producers have the same type and degree of environmental impacts but asserts that research has shown that the majority of avocado production in Michoacán generates high levels of environmental impacts and that deforestation rates in Michoacán for avocado plantations are among the highest in Mexico and Latin America.
Names and citations of the environmental laws in question:
The Submitter cites the Mexican Constitution, the General Law of Sustainable Forestry Development (Ley General de Desarrollo Forestal Sustentable); the General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection (Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente); National Water Law (Ley de Aguas Nationales); Sustainable Rural Development Law (Ley de Desarrollo Rural Sustentable); General Law of Wildlife (Ley General de Vida Silvestre) and the General Climate Change Law (Ley General de Cambio Climático).
Submitter(s):
Name withheld pursuant to Article 16(1)(a) of the ECA
Submission Timeline
The Secretariat began reviewing the submission under Articles 24.27(2) and (3) of the USMCA.
Submission - Submission authored by Submitter(s) on 02/02/2023
Acknowledgement - Communication to Submitter(s) authored by Secretariat on 02/02/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 02/02/2023
The Secretariat notified the Submitter(s) that the submission did not meet all the Article 24.27(2) and (3) criteria, and that the Submitter(s) has 60 days to submit a revised submission.
Determination - Secretariat Determination under Article 24.27(2) and Article 24.27(3) of the CUSMA/USMCA authored by Secretariat on 06/03/2023
Other Documents - Other document authored by Secretariat on 06/03/2023
The Secretariat received a revised submission and began to analyze it.
Submission - Submission authored by Submitter(s) on 25/04/2023
Acknowledgement - Communication to Submitter(s) authored by Secretariat on 26/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
Annex - Other document authored by Secretariat on 25/04/2023
The Secretariat determined that the submission met the criteria of Article 24.27(2), and requested a response from the concerned government Party in accordance with Article 24.27(3).
Determination - Secretariat Determination under Article 24.27(2) and Article 24.27(3) of the CUSMA/USMCA authored by Secretariat on 24/05/2023
Other Documents - Other document authored by Secretariat on 24/05/2023