Ecuador Lifts 100 Pc Tariff On Colombian Goods From Today

(MENAFN- IANS) Quito, June 1 (IANS) Ecuador's customs authority has issued a resolution to abolish a 100 per cent tariff on Colombian goods starting June 1 (Monday), ending a trade dispute that had strained relations between the two countries in recent months.

The security surcharge on imports originating in or coming from Colombia will be reduced to zero per cent, Sandro Castillo, director general of Ecuador's National Customs Service, wrote on X on Sunday (local time), saying the measure opens a new stage of cooperation between the two countries in security, trade and development.

Castillo said the customs authority will ensure the effective implementation of the decision to strengthen legal trade, regional integration and joint efforts to combat illicit economies, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa announced the measure on Friday after talks with Colombian presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella.

Ecuador announced the surcharge on goods from Colombia in January, citing border security concerns and what it described as a lack of reciprocity in efforts to fight drug trafficking along their shared border.

The rate was initially set at 30 per cent, later increased to 50 per cent and finally raised to 100 per cent on May 1.

The measure applies to all goods of Colombian origin or shipped from Colombia, based on their customs value.

Authorities said the move was aimed at strengthening border security and customs controls.

However, exceptions included strategic sectors such as oil and energy, as well as special regimes like temporary admission, customs transit and re-export. Private tourist vehicles were also excluded.

Business groups had warned the measure could disrupt supply chains, affect trade flows and impact employment.

Colombia responded with tariffs of up to 75 per cent on some Ecuadorian products and temporarily suspended electricity exports to Ecuador.

The dispute was brought before the General Secretariat of the Andean Community, which ordered both countries to remove the trade restrictions imposed during the conflict in accordance with the regional bloc's rules.

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