The Department of the Interior (DOI) of the United States of America and the Secretariat of Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries (SEMARNAP) of the United Mexican States, hereinafter “the Parties,”
CONSIDERING
That the environment should be protected for the health and wellbeing of present and future generations; and
That sustainable development requires sound environmental management of natural resources;
KEEPING IN MIND the long history of cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico regarding preservation and protection of biodiversity, illustrated through various bilateral, trilateral and multilateral agreements, such as but not limited to the following:
RECOGNIZING that:
Both Parties can obtain important mutual benefits through international cooperation on environmental matters; and
Some agencies of the DOI and SEMARNAP already possess existing structures for collaboration, which should not be duplicated or replaced.
Have agreed to the following:
ARTICLE 1
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this Memorandum of Understanding is to establish a basis for facilitating cooperative bilateral actions between the Parties and their sub-agencies regarding protection and conservation of the environment, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, respecting and taking into consideration their respective environmental legislation and policies.
ARTICLE 2
COOPERATIVE ACTIONS
The cooperative actions referred to in Article 1 will be subject to the laws and regulations of the Parties when they are carried out in their respective territories, and may include:
Actions between the Parties on subjects “f” and “g” will continue to be conducted under the Canada/Mexico/United States Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystems Conservation and Management through the Memorandum of Understanding of 1996, except for activities that are not subject to that agreement, such as cooperation on contiguous natural protected areas along the border.
Special attention will be given to cooperative projects and regional coordination of adjacent natural protected areas on the U.S.-Mexico border because of the importance of the conservation of shared ecosystems and natural resources on the border.
Both Parties shall cooperate with other governmental and binational organizations whose jurisdiction is related to the subjects listed above, such as the International Boundary and Water Commission and environment and natural resource state and federal agencies.
ARTICLE 3
MODALITIES
The Parties agree that the cooperative activities referred to in the previous article may adopt the following modalities:
ARTICLE 4
EXPENSES
Each Party shall assume its respective costs for activities pursuant to this Memorandum of Understanding, unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the Parties. Each Party's' activities conducted under this Memorandum of Understanding shall be subject to the availability of funds and personnel.
ARTICLE 5
COORDINATORS OF THE PARTIES
Each of the Parties will designate a Coordinator who will serve as a point of contact for this Memorandum of Understanding.
ARTICLE 6
ANNUAL MEETINGS
An annual meeting will be held on an alternating basis by each Party. Cooperative projects and environmental policies will be discussed in these meetings. Subjects that are covered in sub-agency annual meetings will not be addressed at this annual meeting when they would be duplicative.
ARTICLE 7
ENTRY OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT
The Parties shall encourage the entry of personnel and/or equipment, necessary for the completion of activities under this Memorandum of Understanding. Each Party shall undertake all reasonable steps and use its best efforts, within applicable laws and regulations, to facilitate entry into and exit from its territory of all personnel and equipment necessary in furtherance of the activities of this Memorandum of Understanding, including exemption from customs duty and immigration fees, consistent with Article 9 of the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Relating to Scientific and Technical Cooperation, effected by an exchange of notes on June 15, 1972, as amended.
ARTICLE 8
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Provisions for the protection and distribution of intellectual property created or furnished in the course of cooperative activities under the Memorandum shall be subject to the provisions set forth in the Intellectual Property Annex to the Agreement between the United States of America and the United Mexican States Relating to Scientific and Technical Cooperation, effected by an exchange of notes on June 15, 1972, as amended.
ARTICLE 9
INTERPRETATION
Nothing in this Memorandum of Understanding shall affect the rights and duties derived from other agreements that already exist between both countries, according to international law.
In the event that differences exist in the interpretation or application of this Memorandum of Understanding, the Parties will resolve them by mutual agreement.
ARTICLE 10
DURATION
This Memorandum of Understanding shall enter into force upon signature and shall have an indefinite duration.
Any Party that wants to terminate this Memorandum of Understanding shall notify the other Party by giving 90 days written notice.
The termination of this Memorandum of Understanding shall not affect the validity or duration of cooperative projects or activities under this Memorandum of Understanding that were initiated prior to such termination.
ARTICLE 11
AMENDMENTS
This Memorandum of Understanding shall be amended by mutual written agreement of the Parties. Amendments shall enter into force upon signature of both Parties or on a date agreed to by the Parties.
Done at Washington in duplicate, this eighteenth day of May 2000, in English and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic.
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
FOR THE SECRETARIAT OF ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES AND FISHERIES OF THE UNITED MEXICAN STATES: