June 14, 2023
The United States requested dispute settlement consultations with Mexico under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
These consultations are in regard to measures outlined in a February 2023 Mexico Presidential decree which will ban the use of biotechnology corn in tortillas and dough, with the intention to gradually substitute the use of biotechnology corn in all products for human consumption and animal feed, and the rejection of applications for authorizations covering the importation and sale of certain biotechnology products.
Canada's ministers of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, and of International Trade, Mary Ng, said the Government "shares the concerns of the U.S. that Mexico's measures are not scientifically supported and have the potential to unnecessarily disrupt trade in the North American market."
Consequently, the Government of Canada has decided to participate as a third party in the dispute settlement consultations initiated by the U.S.