Citizen Submissions on Enforcement Matters

Canada, Mexico and the United States cooperating to protect North America's shared environment.

Bringing the Facts to Light
A Guide to Articles 14 and 15 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation

The Citizen Submissions on Enforcement Matters mechanism enables the public to play an active whistle-blower role when a government appears to be failing to enforce its environmental laws effectively. Members of the public trigger the process by submitting to CEC a claim alleging such a failure on the part of any of the NAFTA partners. Following a review of the submission, the CEC may investigate the matter and publish a factual record of its findings, subject to approval by the CEC Council.

Latest updates

Latest news

8/01/2009
Jetty construction in Cancun
The thirty-day term expired without the Secretariat receiving a submission that conformed to Article 14(1). Under guideline 6.2, the process was therefore terminated. [More information >>]

8/12/2008
Jetty construction in Cancun
The Secretariat notified the submitter(s) that the submission did not meet all of the Article 14(1) criteria and the submitter(s) had 30 days to provide the Secretariat with a revised submission that conforms with Article 14(1). [More information >>]

21/11/2008
Jetty construction in Cancun
The Secretariat acknowledged receipt of a submission and began a preliminary analysis of it under the guidelines. [More information >>]

28/10/2008
Air Pollution in suburban Montreal
The thirty-day term expired without the Secretariat receiving a submission that conformed to Article 14(1). Under guideline 6.2, the process was therefore terminated. [More information >>]

3/10/2008
La Ciudadela Project
The Secretariat received a response from the concerned government Party and began considering whether to recommend a factual record. [More information >>]

Status page >>

19/09/2008
CEC Secretariat calls for a fact-gathering meeting for submission Lake Chapala II

9/09/2008
CEC receives submission on atmospheric pollution in suburban Montreal

5/09/2008
CEC Secretariat releases workplan for factual record on Coal-fired Power Plants submission

18/07/2008
CEC Secretariat releases workplan for factual record on Lake Chapala II submission

3/07/2008
CEC requests Mexico’s response to La Ciudadela Project submission

More news >>

Active files
Coal-fired Power Plants (SEM-04-005) Date filed: 20/09/2004 Party concerned: United States	Drilling Waste in Cunduacán (SEM-07-005) Date filed: 26/07/2007 Party concerned: Mexico
Environmental Pollution in Hermosillo II (SEM-05-003) Date filed: 30/08/2005 Party concerned: Mexico	Ex Hacienda El Hospital II (SEM-06-003) Date filed: 17/07/2006 Party concerned: Mexico
Ex Hacienda El Hospital III (SEM-06-004) Date filed: 22/09/2006 Party concerned: Mexico	La Ciudadela Project (SEM-08-001) Date filed: 22/02/2008 Party concerned: Mexico
Lake Chapala II (SEM-03-003) Date filed: 23/05/2003 Party concerned: Mexico	Minera San Xavier (SEM-07-001) Date filed: 5/02/2007 Party concerned: Mexico
Quebec Automobiles (SEM-04-007) Date filed: 3/11/2004 Party concerned: Canada	Species at Risk (SEM-06-005) Date filed: 10/10/2006 Party concerned: Canada

Factual records
ALCA-Iztapalapa II (SEM-03-004) Date filed: 17/06/2003 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (2/06/2008)
Aquanova (SEM-98-006) Date filed: 20/10/1998 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (23/06/2003)
BC Hydro (SEM-97-001) Date filed: 2/04/1997 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (11/06/2000)
BC Logging (SEM-00-004) Date filed: 15/03/2000 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (11/08/2003)
BC Mining (SEM-98-004) Date filed: 29/06/1998 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (12/08/2003)
Cozumel (SEM-96-001) Date filed: 17/01/1996 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (24/10/1997)
Metales y Derivados (SEM-98-007) Date filed: 23/10/1998 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (11/02/2002)
Migratory Birds (SEM-99-002) Date filed: 19/11/1999 Party concerned: United States Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (24/04/2003)
Molymex II (SEM-00-005) Date filed: 6/04/2000 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (8/10/2004)
Montreal Technoparc (SEM-03-005) Date filed: 14/08/2003 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (23/06/2008)
Oldman River II (SEM-97-006) Date filed: 4/10/1997 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (11/08/2003)
Ontario Logging (SEM-02-001) Date filed: 6/02/2002 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (5/02/2007)
Pulp and Paper (SEM-02-003) Date filed: 8/05/2002 Party concerned: Canada Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (5/02/2007)
Río Magdalena (SEM-97-002) Date filed: 15/03/1997 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (11/12/2003)
Tarahumara (SEM-00-006) Date filed: 9/06/2000 Party concerned: Mexico Latest update: The final factual record was publicly released. (9/01/2006)