Mexico’s ban on transgenic corn has been met with opposition from the United States, which argues that the legal arguments put forth by Mexico are not based on international standards, science, or the T-MEC laws. In response to Mexico’s modifications to its decree in February 2023, allowing transgenic corn for animal feed and food production but maintaining a ban on human consumption products such as tortillas, the US submitted a document of over 100 pages requesting that the panel conclude that Mexico’s barriers to genetically modified corn are incompatible with its commitments to the T-MEC.
The US contends that the international scientific community has long considered genetically modified crops safe for consumption by humans, animals, and plants. The US argues that Mexico’s decision to ban genetically modified corn was made without scientific basis and is inconsistent with current research. Additionally, the US claims that Mexico’s measures have commercial implications, citing a significant decrease in white corn exports from the US to Mexico following the implementation of the Corn Act 2023. The US asserts that these actions constitute arbitrary discrimination between countries and have negatively impacted trade relations between the two nations.
In September 2023, a preliminary verdict is expected to be issued by an arbitration panel set up to resolve this dispute. If this verdict goes against Mexico’s position, it could lead to further tension between the two countries and potentially affect their future trade relations.
