ACCESS MEXICO

• WHAT IS ACCESS MEXICO?
• WHY IS IT NEEDED?
• HOW IS IT BEING ACCOMPLISHED?
• WHO WILL USE ACCESS MEXICO?
• WHAT DO USERS WANT FORM THIS SYSTEM?
• WHAT KIND OF SYSTEM IT WILL BE?
• HOW WILL IT LOOK?
• HOW CAN USERS GET INTO THE DATABASE?
• HOW WILL THE SEARCH OPTIONS WORK?
• HOW IS ACCESS MEXICO DIFFERENT FROM OTHER DATABASES?

• A project to develop on-line, searchable database of Mexico’s Federal, state and local environmental laws.
  
• Outreach and training to clarify Mexico’s rules for environmental compliance.

• Eliminate non-tariff trade barrier.
• Support corporate risk management.
• Reduce investment uncertainty.
• Provide current information to businesses.

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• U.S. Congressional grant to U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce through the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.
• Agreement between USMCOC and SEMARNAP for in-kind assistance for the searchable database.
• Technical support from ORION International Technologies (system design and development) and University of Texas at El Paso (data processing).

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• Businesses operating in Mexico.
• Environmental businesses marketing technologies or expertise to Mexican market.
• Lawyers.
• Financial institutions.
• Risk management consultants.
• Insurance companies.
• Regulatory community.

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• Capability to receive the information via Internet, on diskette or CD ROM.
• Complete text of Mexico’s environmental laws in Spanish and English.
• Ability to browse or search a website for the data.
• Ability to do basic or advanced searches and query the database.
• Knowledge about how laws apply to sector-specific activities, e.g., textile manufacturing, automobile manufacturing, tourist hotel, or laying a gas pipeline.
• Current and reliable information at an affordable cost.

• A web-hosted, searchable bilingual database of Mexico’s environmental laws that responds to users needs and preferences.
• Functional design will directly address what users want from the system. (Functional Diagram)
• Website will be in Spanish and English and users can choose on the front page of the site whether to navigate in English or Spanish, but later while viewing laws, users can toggle back and forth between the English and Spanish texts.
• Initial database in Spanish. The baseline data must be the original Spanish language laws that apply to environmental protection. English version of these laws will steadily be added.
• Translation priorities to be established by bi-national Legal Content Working Group, with emphasis on critical regions and commercial activities in Mexico.

• Users view some historical information and the range of data at the site, which will include basic constitutional precepts through federal, state and municipal laws and regulations containing environmental content, plus applicable federal technical standards (called NOMs), permits and procedures and case studies.

  Access Mexico Functional Diagram

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• Access to the site can be via Internet searches or through marketing information they receive from USMCOC.
• Following the website introduction, subscription information will be available. Subscribers may log on with a password or non-subscribers can follow instructions about how to become a subscriber. Subscribers will be able to skip the front end introductory material.
• Once logged on, subscribers will be able to access the data using 4 different database search options or "views" of the data.

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• Functionally speaking, the system will permit users to have multiple "views" of the system. Various database functions built into the system will allow users to conduct basic searches, browse the entire site, query the system (advanced searches) and view a variety of case studies built around sector specific activities.

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More User Friendly

Laws Will Be Web-hosted

Users Will Have Electronic Access To Laws

Electronic Translation

Private Firm Is Developing Translation Software

More Comprehensive

Federal, State, And Local Laws Will Be In Database

More Complete

Chamber and Mexican Partners Searched

Mexican Repositories for Laws

More Synergistic

 Will Include Some Laws Having Environmental Impact:

Land Use Planning And Development

Health

Subdivisions (Fraccionamentos)

Human Settlement and Environmental Needs Such as Potable Water, Sewage, Transportation

 More Helpful To Private Sector

Access Mexico Parameters Based On Discussions With Business Firms

Database Will Include Case Studies for Businesses to Use as Models