THE CLIENT

This research was conducted for the Citizen on Enforcement Matters (SEM) Unit of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The professional staff that comprises the SEM is responsible for receiving and assessing individual submissions under Articles 14 and 15 of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The NAAEC is the environmental side agreement to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The SEM was created under the NAAEC for the purpose of reviewing complaints, made by individuals residing in Canada, the United States of Mexico, alleging that one of the three countries is failing to adequately enforce its environmental laws. The submission is review by the CEC based admissibility criteria provided in the NAAEC. If the submission is deemed to merit the consideration of the CEC, the case will be examined and the publication of a factual record by the CEC is possible. More information about this procedure is available on the CEC website and in the report available here.