Mexico City, February 12th, 2021.
On December 31st, 2020, “the Decree establishing the actions to be taken by the agencies and entities that make up the Federal Public Administration, within the scope of their competences, to gradually replace the use, acquisition, distribution, promotion and importation of the chemical substance called glyphosate and the agrochemicals used in our country that contain it as an active ingredient, with sustainable and culturally appropriate alternatives, which allow maintaining production and result in a sustainable and culturally appropriate production, promotion and importation of the chemical substance called glyphosate and the agrochemicals used in our country that contain it as an active ingredient, for sustainable and culturally appropriate alternatives, which allow maintaining production and are safe for human health, the biocultural diversity of the country and the environment«, which entered into force on January 1st, 2021 (hereinafter «the Decree»).
The purpose of the Decree is to establish the actions that diverse agencies of the federal public administration must implement to gradually replace the use, acquisition, distribution, promotion and importation of the chemical substance glyphosate and the agrochemicals that contain it, as well as the use of transgenic corn.
The measures ordered in the Decree to achieve this objective are as follows:
- Federal Public Administration agencies must refrain from acquiring, using, distributing, promoting, and importing glyphosate or agrochemicals containing glyphosate.
- To reduce the impact of this measure, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development and of Environment and Natural Resources will promote and implement sustainable, low-toxicity alternatives with biological, organic, etc. products.
- The National Council of Science and Technology will coordinate, promote and support scientific research to develop alternatives to glyphosate.
- By the first half of 2023 at the latest, the Ministries of Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Environment and Natural Resources must promote the necessary legal reforms to prohibit the use of glyphosate as an active substance in agrochemicals and genetically modified corn in Mexico.
- The biosafety authorities, in compliance with applicable regulations, will refrain from granting new permits and will revoke permits already granted for the release into the environment of genetically modified corn seeds and for the use of genetically modified corn grain in Mexican food, until its total substitution no later than January 31st, 2024.
The lawyers of the Corporate, Administrative and Environmental law practices are at your service to answer any questions regarding the contents of this document.
S I N C E R E L Y,
Daniel Del Río
Juan Carlos Serra
Rodolfo Barreda
Ricardo Evangelista
