Colombia’s new government is trying to restart negotiations on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan that formally opened in December 2012 and never reached signature, and it is pairing the trade push with a direct appeal to Japanese automakers to build vehicles in the country again. President Abelardo de la Espriella used a televised address on Sunday, August 30, 2026, to present the results of a mission to Tokyo by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Mauricio Gómez Amín, which produced a joint commitment with Japan to put technical teams back to work on the pact and opened talks with Toyota Motor Corporation (TYO: 7203; NYSE: TM), Mazda Motor Corporation (TYO: 7261) and Toshiba Corporation.

“After nearly 15 years of paralyzed negotiations, in the first 15 days of my government we managed to take significant steps to unblock the economic partnership agreement between Colombia and Japan,” de la Espriella said, according to El Tiempo. He added: “We want to open markets for our products, incorporate technology and generate new opportunities for our countryside and our industry. We are also working so that Japan looks at Colombia again as an investment destination.”

The Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo (MinCIT, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism) summarized the message in a statement issued August 31, 2026: “Colombia is once again making its way in the world: we are seeking markets for our products, investment to generate jobs, technology to transform our economy, and strong allies to accompany us in the reconstruction.”

“Japan is looking at Colombia again, and we are ready to capitalize on that confidence,” Gómez Amín said in the ministry’s August 25 statement on the first day of meetings.

What happened in Tokyo

Gómez Amín’s mission ran from August 22 to August 27, according to Infobae Colombia. On Tuesday, August 25, the minister met State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshiro Ino of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). In its readout of the meeting, METI said the two exchanged views on potential areas for bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, and agreed to continue deepening their cooperation; Ino also expressed condolences to the victims of the August 10 earthquake. MinCIT said the meeting advanced an agenda to reactivate and conclude the EPA, which Gómez Amín described in a message on X quoted by Semana as “a modern agreement that opens doors for our agroindustry, investment and technology transfer.”

Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Toshiro Ino (left) and Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Mauricio Gómez Amín (second from right) during their August 25, 2026 meeting in Tokyo. (Photo courtesy MinCIT)

Two days later, on Thursday, August 27, Gómez Amín met for more than 40 minutes with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Semana reported. According to the readout published by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and cited by Semana, Motegi opened the meeting with condolences for the earthquake and said he welcomed a visit so soon after the new administration took office as a sign that it gives importance to relations with Japan. Gómez Amín thanked Japan for its support after the earthquake and expressed his firm desire to reactivate the EPA negotiations. On that basis, the two ministers confirmed they would instruct technical officials in both countries to continue discussions diligently with a view to resuming negotiations.

MinCIT said in a communiqué reported by El Espectador that the meeting “made it possible to take a new step in the bilateral relationship and establish a concrete route for the technical teams of both countries to continue the conversations on the EPA.”

The Motegi meeting also covered Colombia’s participation in GREEN×EXPO 2027, the international horticultural exposition that opens in Yokohama in March 2027. Motegi thanked Gómez Amín for the formal letter confirming that Colombia will take part, according to an EFE dispatch published by El Tiempo.

In another message on X quoted by Infobae Colombia, Gómez Amín wrote: “On the instruction of President Abelardo de la Espriella, we have taken on the responsibility of unblocking a trade relationship that for nearly 15 years was not able to advance as Colombia needed.”

A negotiation that predates three presidents

The “15 years” cited by the president and the minister refers to a process that formally began almost 14 years ago, during the administration of Juan Manuel Santos. EPA negotiations between Colombia and Japan began in December 2012, according to Colombia’s embassy in Tokyo, which states that the proposed agreement has 18 chapters, covering areas including cooperation, intellectual property, government procurement, trade facilitation and improvement of the business environment; that 16 of those chapters have been concluded and agreed; and that the chapters on rules of origin and market access remain pending. The talks were suspended in 2021, El Tiempo reported in September 2025, and Infobae Colombia reported that the two pending chapters have been outstanding since the government of Iván Duque.

The de la Espriella government is also not the first to announce a restart. On September 4, 2025, then-President Gustavo Petro asked then-Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, at a meeting in Tokyo, to speed up the signing of the EPA, calling it a “fundamental necessity,” according to an EFE dispatch published by Portafolio. Petro and then-Commerce Minister Diana Marcela Morales led a meeting in Osaka during Expo 2025 to reaffirm both countries’ will to reactivate the negotiations, and Morales held meetings with Japanese companies and with METI Parliamentary Vice-Minister Akiyoshi Kato, El Tiempo reported at the time. No agreement was signed.

Japanese foreign direct investment in Colombia totaled $766.9 million USD between 2000 and 2024, making Japan the third-largest Asian investor in the country after China and India, with more than 45 Japanese companies operating locally, according to figures reported by Infobae Colombia. Colombia’s non-mining, non-energy exports to Japan reached $293.4 million USD in 2024, including green coffee, fresh flowers, coffee derivatives and agroindustrial goods. Over the narrower 2010 to 2021 period, the Colombian embassy in Tokyo puts cumulative Japanese investment flows at $562.7 million USD, or 32.9% of all Asia-Pacific investment Colombia received, ahead of China at 21.2% and Australia at 14.6%, and describes Japan as the largest Asia-Pacific source of foreign investment in the country.

The automotive pitch

Also on August 25, Gómez Amín met Hiroshi Nanbu, president of Business Planning & Operation at Toyota Motor Corporation, and invited Toyota to expand its presence in Colombia through hybrid and electric vehicle assembly, charging infrastructure, and development of local suppliers, MinCIT said. Semana identified Automotores Toyota Colombia President Hiroshi Yonenaga as also attending. The minister also met executives of Mazda and Toshiba, with the discussions covering manufacturing, digital infrastructure, supplier development and technological innovation, El Tiempo reported; MinCIT’s August 31 statement listed manufacturing, electric mobility, energy, digital infrastructure, innovation and technology as the sectors explored.

“We are working, for example, so that Mazda can once again assemble vehicles in Colombia and so that Toyota evaluates our country as a destination for projects related to electric vehicles,” de la Espriella said in the address. He added, in a line El Tiempo reported was a reference to the incentives planned to attract that investment: “Here we are going to give them every guarantee.”

The Toyota meeting revisited a relationship of more than five decades, according to MinCIT. The first Toyota vehicles were registered in Colombia in October 1959, and the company formalized a local distributor in 1967, according to El Carro Colombiano. Sofasa, the assembler of Renault (Euronext Paris: RNO) vehicles in Envigado, Antioquia, signed a letter of intent with Toyota in 1989; assembly of Land Cruisers began there in March 1992, Hilux pickups followed the next year, and local assembly continued for 17 years until Toyota exited its shareholding in Sofasa in December 2008.

Mazda assembled vehicles in Colombia for three decades through the Compañía Colombiana Automotriz (CCA) at a plant in Bogotá. The last vehicle left the line on April 30, 2014, and the closure eliminated about 500 jobs, according to Infobae Colombia, which reported that the decision responded to falling exports to neighboring markets and lower import costs. Mazda now imports all of its vehicles for the Colombian market from Japan and México.

The pitch comes as vehicle sales grow. Colombia registered 213,377 new vehicles between January and August 2026, a 42.1% increase over the same period of 2025, with Toyota third in the market at 18,946 registrations, according to figures from the Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia (ANDI, the National Business Association of Colombia) and Federación Nacional de Comerciantes (Fenalco, the National Federation of Merchants) cited by El Tiempo. Cumulative registrations of new electric vehicles reached 29,347 through July 2026, a 231.2% increase over the same period a year earlier, according to ANDI and Fenalco figures reported by El Tiempo.

Headline image: A slide titled “Toyota Strategy in Colombia” is shown during Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín’s meeting with Toyota Motor Corporation representatives in Tokyo on August 25, 2026. The slide states that Toyota is expanding its electrified lineup in Colombia to a 61% xEV ratio in 2027. (Photo courtesy MinCIT)

A dissenting view

José Clopatofsky, director of Motor magazine, published by Casa Editorial El Tiempo, called the assembly proposal “improbable” in an analysis published by El Tiempo on August 31, citing the structural conditions of local demand and tax advantages that benefit other countries.

“It is quite unlikely that this will happen, because Colombia’s market is too small to support an additional plant, made worse by the fact that we have free trade agreements with a great many countries,” Clopatofsky said. “That is, except for Japan, India and China, they have to pay taxes on combustion vehicles; all the electric vehicles in the world pay no taxes to come to Colombia.”

Clopatofsky also pointed to the earlier closures of the Chevrolet and Mazda plants in Colombia, which El Tiempo reported were shut down years ago for lack of profitability, and said that because practically all brands face no tax burden on cars sold in Colombia, importing is favored over local production.

Earthquake assistance

The Tokyo mission began less than two weeks after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake of August 10, which struck Chocó department and caused heavy damage across western Colombia, as Finance Colombia reported. De la Espriella said Japan had expressed solidarity with affected families and its willingness to contribute humanitarian aid, and Gómez Amín wrote that the Japanese government’s support “will translate into aid and contributions for the families affected by the earthquake.” The statements from MinCIT did not specify an amount.

“I am deeply grateful to the Japanese people and government,” de la Espriella said.

The reconstruction burden is one of several pressures facing the administration, which took office August 7. Finance Colombia’s earlier analysis examined the security situation, the earthquake response and the government’s position in Congress.

None of the statements issued by either government reports a signed agreement, a specific investment commitment from Toyota or Mazda, or a date for a formal resumption of EPA negotiating rounds.

Above image: A slide titled “Toyota Strategy in Colombia” is shown during Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín’s meeting with Toyota Motor Corporation representatives in Tokyo on August 25, 2026. The slide states that Toyota is expanding its electrified lineup in Colombia to a 61% xEV ratio in 2027. (Photo courtesy MinCIT)

Colombia recorded more than 24 million non-resident visitors during the current presidential term and generated close to $34.43 billion USD in foreign exchange from travel through December 2025, figures released by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, or MinCIT) show. The ministry says tourism has become one of the country’s largest sources of foreign exchange, surpassing traditional export sectors such as coal and coffee.

“Today, Colombia demonstrates that it can also generate wealth from its biodiversity, its cultural heritage, the quality of its services and the talent of its people.” -Diana Marcela Morales, Former Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism

The figures were presented during the Foro Internacional de Turismo: Colombia, un destino por explorar (International Tourism Forum: Colombia, a Destination to Explore), held in Bogotá on July 15. The event brought together tourism associations, business leaders, academics and government officials to discuss the sector’s performance and future, including regenerative tourism, artificial intelligence, smart mobility and innovation in visitor experiences.

Promoted under the campaign Descubre la Diversidad de Colombia, El País de la Belleza (Discover the Diversity of Colombia, the Country of Beauty), the ministry reported that more than 24 million non-resident visitors arrived during the administration of President Gustavo Petro, representing a 109% increase compared with the previous equivalent period. Of those arrivals, 14.8 million were foreign visitors.

According to the Banco de la República, Colombia’s central bank, tourism generated approximately $34.43 billion USD in foreign exchange through December 2025, exceeding revenue from coal and coffee exports. Tourism has also become the country’s largest services export, with 57% of services export earnings coming from the sector.

“For decades, much of the country’s capacity to generate foreign exchange was tied to the export of raw materials,” Former Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Diana Marcela Morales said. “Today, Colombia demonstrates that it can also generate wealth from its biodiversity, its cultural heritage, the quality of its services, the talent of its people and the confidence that millions of people place in choosing the country as a destination. Tourism expresses, perhaps like few other sectors, that transition toward a more diversified economy with greater added value.”

Employment has also expanded alongside visitor growth. Figures from DANE (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística, Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics) show that accommodation and food service activities supported approximately 1.8 million jobs in February 2026, a 15% increase compared with the same period in 2019. During 2025, the sector accounted for 4.4% of Colombia’s national value added.

International demand has continued to grow during 2026. In the first quarter, more than 368,000 international airline tickets were sold with Colombia as the destination, representing a 16.7% increase over the previous year. The largest source markets were the United States, Brazil and Mexico.

During the first two months of 2026, approximately 10 million passengers traveled through Colombia’s airports, an 8% increase across domestic and international traffic. Between January and March, the country received 1.58 million non-resident visitors.

The government has also expanded tourism investment beyond major destinations. MinCIT reported that infrastructure projects—including trails, docks, boardwalks and gastronomic plazas—have reached 699 municipalities, representing 63% of Colombia’s territory. According to the ministry, 207 municipalities received tourism investment for the first time.

The ministry also said tourism initiatives now cover all 140 municipalities included in Colombia’s Programas de Desarrollo con Enfoque Territorial (Development Programs with a Territorial Focus, or PDET), a post-conflict development framework for areas historically affected by armed conflict. Through its Turismo para una Cultura de Paz (Tourism for a Culture of Peace) strategy, more than 999 businesses have joined the Colombia Destinos de Paz (Colombia Peace Destinations) certification.

“Unlike other economic activities, whose benefits tend to concentrate in specific production centers, tourism generates value precisely where a country’s natural, cultural and historical heritage is located,” Morales said. “It is a bridge that connects different cultures and brings opportunities to intermediate municipalities, strengthens rural economies, energizes small businesses and creates incentives to conserve what makes each territory unique.”

Headline Photo: Beachside in Barú, Colombia (photo by Loren Moss)

Colombia’s government has announced a package of measures to strengthen security in municipalities along the border with Ecuador, amid escalating tensions between the two countries over security and trade issues.

According to a statement released by the presidency, the actions include “the deployment of 200 additional National Police officers and 270 soldiers, as well as enhanced maritime and riverine capabilities for territorial control and the fight against drug trafficking.”

The plan also includes technical support for surveillance systems, the deployment of two armored platoons to ensure troop mobility, and meetings aimed at strengthening joint operations by security forces and control at border crossings.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the measures, stating that “we will not allow criminal groups seeking to profit from illegal activities such as drug trafficking, illegal mining, extortion and smuggling to affect security indicators.”

He added that security forces have already seized 2.4 tons of drugs and remain deployed in the region “to protect our seas and critically disrupt drug trafficking.”

Context: security and trade tensions

The measures come days before Ecuador’s tariff increase takes effect, raising the so-called “security tariff” on Colombian goods from 50% to 100% starting May 1, 2026.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa told Revista Semana magazine that the decision is not part of a “trade war” with Colombia but rather reflects the costs of reinforcing border security. “We have to spend twice as much, and it costs $400 million USD more per year to keep our armed forces deployed at the border,” he said.

For its part, Colombia’s government has rejected claims of insufficient action on border security. Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Diana Marcela Morales Rojas said Colombia has kept diplomatic channels open.

“We have exhausted all diplomatic efforts and maintained open dialogue channels with the Government of Ecuador, seeking a solution that benefits both countries, businesses and, above all, communities on both sides of the border. However, we have not received a positive response,” she said in a statement.

At the same time, Colombia is evaluating its tariff response. Although President Gustavo Petro previously said he would not impose 100% tariffs on Ecuador, a draft update to Decree 170 of 2026 has recently emerged proposing differentiated tariffs of 35%, 50% and 75% on imports from the neighboring country. So far, the proposal has not been signed or officially published.

More information on the trade dispute between Colombia and Ecuador? Read Trade War Between Colombia And Ecuador Escalates, With 50% Tariffs Threatened by Finance Colombia.

Ecuador’s government announced an increase in the so-called “security tariff” applied to imports from Colombia, raising it from 50% to 100%, a move that has intensified trade tensions between the two countries.

In response, the Colombian government, through its Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, said it will match Ecuador’s measure by adjusting its tariffs to the same level, arguing the need to “maintain balance in bilateral trade conditions.”

The Ecuadorian decision was formalized through a resolution issued by the National Customs Service of Ecuador (Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador), which establishes that the new tariff will take effect on May 1, 2026.

According to Ecuador’s government, led by President Daniel Noboa, the measure is driven by concerns over border security. In an official statement, authorities said that “after confirming the lack of implementation of concrete and effective border security measures by Colombia, Ecuador is obliged to adopt sovereign actions.”

Colombia’s response and diplomatic measures

Amid the escalation, President Gustavo Petro announced immediate diplomatic actions, including recalling Colombia’s ambassador to Ecuador, María Antonia Velasco, whom he said “must return immediately” to Colombia. He also stated that “the next cabinet meeting will be held at a location along the border with Ecuador,” in a message posted on X.

Petro also criticized statements from Ecuador’s government, saying that “the president of Ecuador insults the Colombian government, which has seized more cocaine than at any point in world history.”

For her part, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales Rojas said Colombia “had maintained open diplomatic channels prior to Ecuador’s decision.”

“We have exhausted all diplomatic efforts and kept dialogue channels open with the Government of Ecuador, seeking a solution that benefits both countries, businesses, and above all, communities on both sides of the border. However, we have not received a positive response,” she said in a statement.

Economic impact and trade response

Colombia’s government, led by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, also announced it will amend Decree 170 to raise tariffs to 100%, in line with Ecuador’s measure. The proposal will be submitted to the Committee on Customs, Tariff and Foreign Trade Affairs (Triple A) for review, meaning that details and the effective date of the increase have yet to be determined.

According to the statement, Ecuador’s tariff hike distorts competitive conditions in the Andean market, negatively affecting Colombian producers competing with Ecuadorian goods.

The government also announced relief measures aimed at mitigating the impact on the productive sector, including favorable credit lines, expanded access to financing, and mechanisms to preserve employment.

Political escalation and questions over the Andean system

Amid the growing trade dispute, President Petro also signaled a potential shift in Colombia’s economic foreign policy, stating that Ecuador’s actions “mark the end of the Andean Pact for Colombia.”

“We have nothing left to do there. The foreign minister must begin the process of joining Mercosur as a full member and redirect our efforts toward the Caribbean and Central America,” he said.

The Andean Pact, also known as the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), established in 1969 by Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, has historically been a cornerstone of regional economic integration.

Both governments have filed formal complaints with the CAN, which will assess the admissibility of the claims and may mediate the dispute.

More information on the trade dispute between Colombia and Ecuador? Read Trade War Between Colombia And Ecuador Escalates, With 50% Tariffs Threatened by Finance Colombia.

Above photo: President Gustavo Petro of Colombia with President Daniel Noboa of Ecuador (photo courtesy Presidencia of Ecuador)

Traders and transport operators have suspended a 19-day blockade at the Rumichaca International Bridge, the primary land crossing between Colombia and Ecuador. The protest, catalyzed by a 50% tax imposed by the Ecuadorian government on Colombian goods, was lifted to accommodate travel and commerce during the Semana Santa holiday period. Despite the suspension of the strike, the regional business community reports that significant economic damage and diplomatic tensions persist.

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa (photo: Carlos Silva/Presidencia de la República)

The closure of the border crossing created a substantial disruption in binational economic activity. Estimates from the Cámara de Comercio de Ipiales in Nariño, Colombia indicate that losses reached approximately $5 million USD per day due to freight remaining stationary in the border zone. The Comité Gremial de Trabajadores de la Frontera de Ipiales stated that while the reopening is a responsible gesture for the high-traffic holiday season, current tariff policies continue to threaten hundreds of direct and indirect jobs linked to foreign trade.

The Governor of Nariño, Luis Alfonso Escobar, criticized the trade barriers implemented by the administration of Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Governor Escobar argued that such measures inadvertently encourage illicit activities in the region. He emphasized that instead of facilitating formal commerce, high tariffs drive trade toward illegality, undermining regional security efforts. To mitigate the conflict, the Comunidad Andina de Naciones (CAN) has initiated high-level dialogues. Diplomatic delegations led by Colombian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Juana Castro and her Ecuadorian counterpart, Alejandro Dávalos, held a virtual working group to address pending issues in trade, transport, energy, and hydrocarbons.

“Decisions adopted without considering the reality of our communities have put at risk the livelihood of merchants, transporters, foreign trade workers, and thousands of people who live from binational exchange,” stated the Comité Gremial de Trabajadores de la Frontera de Ipiales.

Diplomatic friction has extended into the energy sector. President Noboa claimed that in 2017, Ecuador assisted Colombia during a potential blackout by charging 1.6 cents USD per kWh, whereas in 2024, Colombia charged an average of 28 cents USD per kWh during Ecuador’s hydroelectric crisis. In response, the Colombian Minister of Mines and Energy, Edwin Palma, clarified that prices during the 2023-2024 El Niño phenomenon reflected the actual costs of production and distribution, particularly when fossil fuel-powered thermoelectric plants using fuel oil and diesel were activated.

The ongoing trade dispute has impacted more than 5,500 companies over the past two months. Diana Marcela Morales, the Colombian Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, confirmed scheduled meetings with Ecuadorian officials to de-escalate the conflict and establish fair, transparent rules. Concurrently, the Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo has moved to protect domestic industries by implementing new tariffs on steel and ceramics from countries without existing free trade agreements. These measures aim to counter market distortions and protect a sector that employs more than 50,000 people while promoting circular economy practices and reducing CO2 emissions.

Above photo: Border between Ecuador & Colombia looking towards Ipiales, Colombia (Photo: Cancillería de Colombia)

The authorization by APHIS follows technical and commercial discussions between US and Colombian regulatory bodies. Minister Morales Rojas stated that the outcome enables the poultry industry to expand its presence in international markets and integrate into higher-standard value chains.

The regulatory modification is the result of collaboration between the Government of Colombia, the Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA), the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, the Embassy of Colombia in the United States, and the Federación Nacional de Avicultores (Fenavi), the trade association representing the poultry sector.

Six US facilities have been designated to receive the Colombian shell eggs for processing. These plants are situated in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Arkansas, and Georgia. The direct entry authorization for industrial use simplifies the logistics and required sanitary compliance for the export of the product.

Above photo: Colombia’s Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Diana Marcela Morales (courtesy MinCIT)

The measure, signed by President Gustavo Petro and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales Rojas, is intended to strengthen the national fashion system, stimulate job creation, and promote formalization within the sector. The measure will be in effect for a period of one year from its entry into force.

The tariff reduction applies exclusively to imports originating from countries with which Colombia does not have a current free trade agreement. The decision follows a recommendation made unanimously by the Committee on Customs, Tariff, and Foreign Trade Affairs during its 381st session on October 15, 2025.

The government says that implementation of the zero-percent tariff is a response to reported market conditions, and that although the inputs included in the ten subheadings have existing domestic production capacity, the industry is reportedly experiencing a supply deficit. This condition is attributed to global demand pressures and increased international competition, specifically citing the mass importation of final goods at reduced prices.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT), following technical verification visits by its National Goods Producers Registry Group, determined that Colombia’s apparent consumption of yarns is approximately 163,000 tons, of which 88% is covered by imports, with domestic production accounting for only 12%. The market for cotton yarns specifically relies on imports for two-thirds of its demand.

Minister Morales Rojas indicated that the policy is a temporary mechanism to mitigate the risk of cost transference to the domestic industry, which could potentially reduce production and impact employment. She emphasized that the textile, apparel, and footwear sectors are significant generators of formal employment, particularly for women and youth.

The tariff reduction was formalized through Decree 1184 of November 8, 2025 (Decreto 1184 del 8 de noviembre de 2025). This provision will remain in effect for two years and is applicable to imports originating from countries with which Colombia does not have a current trade agreement. The decision followed a recommendation by Colombia’s Foreign Trade Customs & Tariff Affairs Committee (Comité de Asuntos Aduaneros, Arancelarios y de Comercio Exterior).

Diana Marcela Morales Rojas, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, stated that the policy is designed to support domestic manufacturing. “The apparel and footwear sectors generate employment and productive linkages, primarily benefiting micro and small businesses, and have an export orientation. We seek a level playing field to allow the national industry to compete under improved conditions against imported supply,” said the minister.

The minister explained that the zero tariff on these specific imports constitutes a mechanism to lower production costs and promote the target sectors without negatively affecting producers involved in other segments of the supply chain. She specified that “the measure is limited only to products that are currently subject to a tariff and do not have domestic production.”

The inputs covered by the disposition include, among others: silk yarns; twisted or cabled fiber yarns; textured nylon yarns; other synthetic fiber yarns; wool or fine animal hair yarns; crude or bleached fabrics; other sewing threads of artificial filaments; textured polypropylene yarns; artificial filament yarns; and acrylic or modacrylic staple fibers.

The implementation of the zero-percent tariff is part of a broader government strategy aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic apparel and footwear industries by addressing a cost disparity in non-produced raw materials.

Photo: textile production (courtesy MinCIT)

This initiative is part of the Colombian government’s strategy to diversify the national export basket and leverage the bioeconomy as a component of sustainable economic development.

MOU Signed with TEFOS 3 Project

The Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Sustainable Forest Territories (TEFOS 3) project. The one-year MOU establishes a framework for cooperation focused on technical assistance, trade promotion, and international coordination necessary for regulatory compliance. The document is not legally binding and does not constitute a contract, serving primarily as an agreement to coordinate efforts.

The cacay is a product with high agro-industrial, nutritional, and cosmetic potential, originating from the Amazon and the Eastern Plains. Photo: Wikipedia.

The principal objective is to secure the Novel Food authorization for cacay, which is required for its legal entry into the EU market. Final approval depends upon the evaluation and subsequent authorization by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The collaborative actions between MINCIT and TEFOS 3 are intended to focus on several key areas:

• Identifying specific regulatory requirements for Novel Food recognition.
• Coordinating with domestic and international bodies to facilitate compliance with identified standards.
• Organizing and participating in trade events and business meetings aimed at positioning cacay in international markets.
• Exchanging relevant technical, commercial, and regulatory data.

Cacay’s Market Potential and Policy Context

Cacay, native to the  Orinoco and Amazon river watershed across Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil, is distinguished by its edible nuts, from which an oil is extracted for use in food and cosmetics.

Minister Morales noted that ProColombia, the government agency responsible for promoting non-traditional exports, foreign investment, and tourism, works with the private sector to identify market opportunities for products like cacay. The fruit’s attributes suggest potential utilization across the food, nutritional, and cosmetic industries, aligning with the national objective to diversify exports beyond traditional commodities.

The crop is generally compatible with agroforestry systems, supporting forest conservation and the rehabilitation of degraded soils, while providing economic alternatives in regions affected by deforestation. Furthermore, the transformation of cacay into high-value products, such as specialized flour, represents a mechanism for generating rural employment and income. This focus on bioeconomy and value-added agro-industrial output constitutes a core pillar of the current Colombian administration’s economic strategy.

Cacay. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

The project is the result of collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism, Fontur, Fenalco, the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, and the Externado University of Colombia. MICE tourism boosts the local economy by attracting corporate, academic, and institutional visitors who participate in high-impact events, generating employment, and consumer spending, and increasing the destination’s reputation.

“Meeting tourism not only boosts the local economy, it also presents us to the world as a prepared, diverse, and sustainable country. Bogotá has everything it needs to consolidate itself as the epicenter of major events,” stated Diana Marcela Morales, minister of commerce, industry, and tourism.

Of the 56 tourism service providers who participated, 28 completed the Diploma in Comprehensive Event Management, aimed at officials and collaborators of companies and MSMEs in the tourism sector. During 120 hours of in-person training, provided by the Externado de Colombia University and the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) organization, attendees were trained in legal and financial aspects, event modalities, social responsibility, operations, evaluation, and sustainability. As an added value, they obtained the international “Meeting Essentials” certification.

Additionally, 28 other providers completed the Sustainable Event Management Course, which allowed them to strengthen their skills in responsible practices and learn strategies to mitigate the environmental impact of organizing meetings, conferences, fairs, and other events. This comprehensive approach provided them with tools to combine competitiveness with sustainability.

The project had an investment of $1.066 billion USD, 77% co-financed by the ministry through Fontur. This training provided specialized knowledge in sustainability, innovation, and new technologies applied to MICE tourism, to improve the job skills of stakeholders in the sector’s value chain.

As part of this training program, the MICE Congress was held during the second half of 2024, an academic event that brought together more than 400 national and international attendees, who shared innovative practices and policies to strengthen the events industry in Colombia.

These results were possible thanks to the institutional coordination between the public and private sectors and academia, in a joint effort to consolidate Bogotá as one of the leading MICE tourism destinations in Latin America.

MICE tourism—Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions—is a specialized type of tourism that encompasses meetings, incentives, congresses, and exhibitions. Photo credit: MINCIT.