Browse Data and Analysis

On March 17, 2025, Mexico adopted a constitutional amendment banning domestic cultivation of “genetically modified” corn

The only genetically engineered (GE) product in commercial production is GE cotton, with obsolete seeds and only in restricted areas. There has been no advance in plant or animal biotechnology development and production, mainly due to policy and regulatory constraints.

Tunisia is continuing to postpone non-urgent matters in front of major political and economic reforms. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

Following the June 2024 election of Claudia Sheinbaum as the next President of Mexico, the sitting President Andres Manuel López Obrador expressed intent to move forward with constitutional reforms in the September 2024 legislative session.

On April 17, 2024, the Government of Mexico published a law in the Official Gazette to establish mandatory warning labeling for products containing genetically engineered ingredients and to enshrine socioeconomic considerations into national food policy.

Mexico's biotechnology regulatory policy environment has become increasingly uncertain under the current administration. The government has not approved any applications for genetically engineered (GE) products for food and feed use since May 2018 and has not approved any permits for planting GE crops since 2019.

Tunisia is facing decisions on major political and economic reforms and is continuing to postpone non-urgent matters.

On February 13, 2023, Mexico published a modified 2023 Corn Decree in the Diario Official Federal (DOF). The new Presidential decree abrogates the 2020 GE Corn Decree and is immediately effective on February 14, 2023.

Mexico has not officially reported any approvals for genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products for food and feed use since May 2018. Additionally, Mexico has not approved any permit applications for cultivation of GE crop (cotton and alfalfa)...

Tunisia postponed non-urgent issues throughout 2023 as major political reforms, including a freeze on parliament and a constitutional referendum took precedent. As a result, Tunisia’s biosafety framework, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold with no timeframe for a review and parliamentary vote.

Mexico has not reported any official biotechnology food or feed products approvals since May 2018. Additionally, Mexico has rejected or delayed all permit applications for cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) cotton in 2019, citing the precautionary principle.

Tunisia postponed non-urgent reforms throughout 2021 due to an unstable political environment and the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is no timeframe for Parliament to review and vote on Tunisia’s biosafety framework, and so the policy, which was drafted in 2014, remains on hold.