Summary of the matter addressed in the submission:
The Submitters allege that the appropriate authorities failed to effectively enforce environmental laws during the evaluation process of the project "Construction and Operation of a Public Harbor Terminal for Tourist Cruises on the Island of Cozumel, State of Quitana Roo"; Constucción y operación de una terminal portuaria, de uso público para cruceros turísticos en la Isla Cozumel, Estado de Quintana Roo).

The Submitters allege that during the evaluation process of the above-mentioned project, the competent authorities failed to effectively enforce the following environmental laws: General Law of Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental Protection (Ley General del Equilibrio Ecológico y la Protección al Ambiente); Regulation on Environmental Impact (Reglamento en materia de Impacto Ambiental); Instructions to prepare and presenta general declaration of Environmental Impact (Instructivo para desarrollar y presentar la Manifestación de Impacto Ambiental en la Modalidad General). The Submitters also describe other legal requirements that in their opinion were not effectively enforced. These are: the Decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation establishing the Declaration of a " Protection Zone for the Marine Fauna and Flora of the western coast of the Island of Cozumel in the State of Quintana Roo (Decreto publicado en el Diario Oficial de la Federación que estableció la Declaratoria de "Zona de refugio para la flora y fauna marinas de la costa occidental de la Isla Cozumel, Estado de Quintana Roo") of June 11, 1980, the Declaratory Decree of Uses, Functions and Reserves of the Municipality of Cozumel (Decreto de Declaratoria de Usos, Destinos y Reservas del Municipio de Cozumel) of March 9, 1987 and the Law on Harbours (Ley de Puertos). More specifically, the Submitters allege that the above-mentioned project was initiated without a declaration of environmental impacts covering all the works comprised in the project, contrary to the Concession Title awarded by the Secretariat for Communications and Transportation Título de Concesión otorgado por las Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes)for the construction and operation of the project. In addition, the Submitters argue that the project is located within the limits of a protected natural area known as the "Zona de refugio para la protección de la flora y la fauna marinas de la costa occidental de la Isla Cozumel" protected under a special legal regime. The Submitters further allege that the situation is serious and represents an immediate danger for the survival and development of both the Paradise Reef " Arrecife Paraíso" and the Caribbean Barrier Reef (Cadena Arrecifal del Gran Caribe).

The Secretariat acknowledged receipt of a submission and began a preliminary analysis of it under the guidelines.

Submission — Submission authored by Submitter(s) on 17/01/1996

Acknowledgement — Communication to Submitter(s) authored by Secretariat on 22/01/1996

The Secretariat began reviewing the submission under Article 14(1).

The Secretariat determined that the submission met the Article 14(1) criteria and the Secretariat began considering whether to request a response from the concerned government Party.

Determination — Secretariat Determination under Article 14 (1) authored by Secretariat on 6/02/1996

The Secretariat determined that the submission met the Article 14(2) criteria and requested a response from the concerned government Party.

Determination — Secretariat Determination under Article 14(2) authored by Secretariat on 8/02/1996

The Secretariat received a response from the concerned government Party and began considering whether to recommend a factual record.

Party Response — Response from the Party under Article 14 (3) authored by Mexico on 22/03/1996

The Secretariat informed Council that the Secretariat considers that the submission warrants development of a factual record.

Recommendation — Secretariat Notification to Council under Article 15(1) authored by Secretariat on 7/06/1996

The Council voted to instruct the Secretariat to develop a Factual Record.

Resolution — Council decision concerning the development of a factual record authored by Council on 2/08/1996

The Secretariat submitted a draft factual record to Council, for a 45-day comment period on the accuracy of the draft.

The Secretariat received comments from Canada.

The Secretariat received comments from Mexico.

The Secretariat received comments from the United States.

The Secretariat submitted a final factual record to Council for Council's vote on whether to make the final factual record publicly available.

Council voted to instruct the Secretariat to make the final factual record publicly available.

The final factual record was publicly released.

Final Factual Record — Other document authored by Secretariat on 24/10/1997