On July 22, 2026, the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) published an Administrative Simplification Agreement applicable to various procedures handled by the National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (CONANP), which standardizes forms, consolidates reference codes, and modifies the validity criteria and application submission requirements for tourism and recreational activities, commercial activities, and voluntary conservation schemes (ADVC). The Agreement takes effect one day after its publication.
Background
Prior to the publication of this Agreement, the legal framework for Protected Natural Areas (ANP) in Mexico involved the coexistence of multiple homocodes for procedures of a similar nature before the National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (CONANP). This created operational uncertainty regarding deadlines and specific requirements imposed by the regional offices.
Consequently, in accordance with the principles of simplification set forth in the National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures and the 2025–2030 Sectoral Program for the Environment and Natural Resources, SEMARNAT has sought to develop mechanisms for regulatory modernization.
The published agreement addresses this specific issue by establishing a more streamlined and centralized administrative framework.
What changes does the Agreement introduce?
This Agreement does not introduce any new substantive obligations, but sets forth the following operational changes:
- Standardization and Consolidation of Homoclaves and Formats
- Tourism and Recreational Activities: The various categories related to activities with or without vehicles, including infrastructure and their extensions, are consolidated into a single code (CNANP-00-014) through the adoption of the Standard Form FF-CNANP-012.
- Commercial Activities: The initial authorization and its extensions are filed under the unique code CNANP-00-001 and using form FF-CNANP-001.
- Voluntarily Designated Conservation Areas (ADVC): Form FF-CNANP-005 (code CNANP-00-005-B) for the certification of private, ejido, or communal lands has been updated and amended.
- Amendments to the Rules on Validity and Acceptance
- Extension of Validity: The criteria set forth in the Regulations of the General Law on Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection regarding Protected Natural Areas (RLGEEPA-ANP) are amended to stipulate that authorizations for the provision of tourism services may be granted for a term of up to three years.
- Permanent Service Window: The temporary restriction on the submission of applications or extensions for tourism and recreational activities has been eliminated, allowing them to be accepted on any business day and at any business hour throughout the year.
- Response Times and Procedural Rules
- Processing Times: The processing times are confirmed as 30 business days for tourism and recreational activities and 25 calendar days for commercial permits.
- Requirements for Extensions: To process extensions in both areas, the request must be submitted at least 30 calendar days before the expiration of the original term, accompanied by a final activity report.
What regulatory considerations should be taken into account?
- Interaction with Environmental Impact Assessment: The Agreement clarifies that, in the case of tourism or commercial activities requiring construction or infrastructure (fixed or mobile), the obligation to submit an environmental impact authorization issued by the competent authority remains in effect independently. The simplification of the CONANP form does not exempt applicants from or replace this preliminary procedure.
- Prohibition on Requests for Prior Information: The transitional regime invokes the National Law to Eliminate Bureaucratic Procedures to expressly prohibit CONANP service counters from requiring simple copies or documents already on file. This provides substantial certainty against unwarranted obstacles.
- Transitional Provisions: Proceedings initiated prior to the effective date of this provision must be processed and resolved in accordance with the regulations and forms applicable at the time they were filed.
Practical Implications
At the corporate and project development levels, industry stakeholders should consider the following operational projections:
- Tourism Operators: The option to obtain three-year authorizations reduces the need for renewals and provides operational continuity for business plans in areas with ecotourism potential. Additionally, keeping the application window open year-round prevents seasonal backlogs in the processing of applications.
- Developers and Investors: Those conducting commercial activities within ANP zones must ensure that their documentation proving their legal status and infrastructure use is updated in a timely manner to avoid any objections within 25 days of the decision.
- Landowners for ADVC: Form FF-CNANP-005 standardizes the submission of technical justifications (biodiversity, cultural value, germplasm, research, or wild status) and incorporates the formal structure of the Management Strategy, while also requiring the submission of georeferenced maps in UTM coordinates using the current official datum.
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