North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC).

This environmental agreement between the United States of America, Canada and Mexico is an agreement complementary to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It sets up the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), led by the Environmental ministers from Canada, Mexico, and the United States, sets out certain general obligations of the Parties in respect of environmental protection and provides for collaboration between the Parties in that field. The objectives of this Agreement are to: foster the protection and improvement of the environment in the territories of the Parties for the well-being of present and future generations; promote sustainable development based on cooperation and mutually supportive environmental and economic policies; increase cooperation between the Parties to better conserve, protect, and enhance the environment, including wild flora and fauna; support the environmental goals and objectives of the NAFTA; avoid creating trade distortions or new trade barriers; strengthen cooperation on the development and improvement of environmental laws, regulations, procedures, policies and practices; enhance compliance with, and enforcement of, environmental laws and regulations; promote transparency and public participation in the development of environmental laws, regulations and policies; promote economically efficient and effective environmental measures; and promote pollution prevention policies and practices.
The Commission shall comprise a Council, a Secretariat and a Joint Public Advisory Committee. The Council is the governing body of the CEC and shall comprise cabinet-level or equivalent representatives of the Parties. All decisions and recommendations of the Council shall be taken by consensus, except as the Council may otherwise decide or as otherwise provided in this Agreement.
The Council shall, among other things, oversee the implementation and develop recommendations on the further elaboration of this Agreement. The Agreement also provides for a dispute resolution mechanism. The Agreement is open for accession by other countries or group of countries.