Memorandum Of Understanding Between the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada and the Ministry of Economy of the Mexican United States for the Advancement of Good Regulatory Practices

The Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada and the Ministry of Economy through the Federal Commission for Better Regulation of the Mexican United States, hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”,

Recognizing that they have an existing strong bilateral relationship in the area of Good Regulatory Practices (GRP); and

Recognizing that they already work together in multilateral fora such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD);

Have come to the following understanding:

1. Purpose
   1. The purpose of this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is to:
      1. continue the promotion of GRP, including regulatory development, international regulatory cooperation, stakeholder engagement, openness and transparency, among the Participants; and
      2. advance the adoption of GRPs across Latin America and the Caribbean.
2. Definitions
   1. Good Regulatory Practices means internationally recognised processes, systems, tools and methods in areas like regulatory development, regulatory cooperation, stakeholder engagement, openness and transparency, and beyond, for improving the quality of regulations.
   2. International Regulatory Cooperation means a good regulatory practice that is a process to find efficiencies across jurisdictions and reduce unnecessary regulatory differences.
   3. Regulatory Alignment means regulatory alignment that occurs when there is any agreement or arrangement that reduces or eliminates differences between independent regulatory systems and/or regulatory activities, including inspections, certification, standards, and product and testing approvals.
3. Advancing Good Regulatory Practices
   1. The Participants may collaborate to advance the adoption of GRPs within their respective jurisdictions by sharing information, collaborating, and providing technical assistance.
   2. The Participants may collaborate to advance the adoption of GRPs in partner jurisdictions throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, including through sharing lessons learned, technical assistance, and guidance.
   3. The Participants may continue to collaborate to promote the use of GRPs, including regulatory cooperation, in various multi-lateral fora, as appropriate.
4. Bilateral International Regulatory Cooperation
   1. The Participants intend, to the extent possible, to share information, lessons learned and best practices on international regulatory cooperation with each other.
   2. The Participants may explore opportunities to advance bilateral regulatory cooperation and regulatory alignment.
5. Information and Data Sharing
   1. The Participants intend to explore, wherever practical, mechanisms to promote the bilateral sharing of technical non-confidential information as a means of supporting regulatory cooperation and GRPs between the Participants.
6. Interpretation and Application
   1. The Participants intend to meet annually, or as required, at the senior official’s level to report on progress and to discuss opportunities for collaboration. At the first meeting, the Participants are expected to develop a work plan to guide cooperation activities for the following year.
   2. The Participants intend to update annually, or as required, the work plan to guide cooperation activities for the following year.
   3. The Participants may consult each other, at any time, regarding any aspect related to the interpretation or application of this MOU.
7. Other Provisions
   1. Each Participant intends to bear its own costs and expenditures that might be incurred in the course of implementing this MOU.
   2. The activities of the Participants carried out pursuant to this MOU are contingent on the availability of funds and other resources, and subject to their national laws, regulations, and internal policies.
   3. This MOU is not intended to be binding or to create any legal rights or financial obligations under international or national laws.
8. Final Provisions
   1. This MOU is effective from the date of its final signature by the Participants.
   2. This MOU may be modified anytime by mutual consent of the Participants. The amendments are intended to be formalized in writing and to specify the date in which they become effective.
   3. This MOU can be terminated upon request by any Participant through written notification to the other Participant with at least thirty (30) days in advance.
   4. The Participants understand that the termination of this MOU is not intended to affect the conclusion of cooperation activities that may have been formalized during the time it was in effect, unless the Participants jointly decide otherwise.

Signed in Mexico City on this day of February 7^th, 2018, in two copies, in the English, French, Spanish languages, each version being equally valid.