Colombia–European Union relations are the diplomatic and commercial relations between the Republic of Colombia and the European Union. Colombia has a free trade and free movement agreement with the EU. Colombia has an embassy in Brussels, which is responsible for managing relations with the European Union, while the latter has a representation through the Delegation of the European Union in Colombia in Bogotá.
History Colombia's relationship with Europe began during the time of the Conquest, which led to the creation of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. After Colombia's independence, the country maintained very strong ties with Europe. Colombia and the European Union share an extensive and diverse bilateral agenda in which the most influential issues are energy, competitiveness, mining, education, innovation, science and technology, biodiversity, climate change, infrastructure, and expansion of trade and investment. There are mechanisms for dialogue in political matters; human rights; security and defence, which are what allow bilateral relations between Colombia and the EU to be constantly strengthened with several high-level meetings. This network of relations is complemented by the dialogue that exists in matters of cooperation (bilateral and regional) and the mechanism of the Committee of the Trade Agreement between Colombia and the European Union.
Diplomatic representation The Embassy of Colombia to the Kingdom of Belgium is also concurrent to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and a mission to the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). ‘’’Representative:’’’ Ambassador Felipe García Echeverri. The European Union is also represented in Colombia through the Delegation of the European Union in Colombia.
Colombia and the European Union share an extensive and diverse bilateral agenda in which the most influential topics are energy, competitiveness, mining, education, innovation, science and technology, biodiversity, climate change, infrastructure, and the expansion of trade and investment. There are mechanisms for dialogue on political matters, human rights, security and defence, which allow bilateral relations between Colombia and the EU to be constantly strengthened with several high-level meetings. This network of relations is complemented by the dialogue that exists in matters of cooperation (bilateral and regional) and the mechanism of the Committee of the Trade Agreement between Colombia and the European Union.
The relationship with the European Union is governed by the Treaty of Lisbon, which was adopted in 2009. The European Union also demonstrated great commitment to the peace agreement with the FARC.
Migration Colombia has been known internationally for its migration phenomenon, and the States of the European Union have been one of the main recipients of this migration. In Spain, it was estimated that in 2016, 394,038 Colombians resided and in France there were 60,000 to 70,000 Colombians residing in 2007, most of them irregularly.
With the agreement between the European Union and Colombia, Colombians are allowed to travel to Europe for a period of no more than 90 days, and for tourism purposes, without a visa. This has caused Colombian tourism in European territory to skyrocket.
Economic relations The trade relationship is framed within the Trade Agreement between Colombia and Peru, on the one hand, and the European Union and its Member States, on the other hand. The Trade Agreement between Colombia and Peru, on the one hand, and the European Union and its Member States, on the other hand, was signed in Brussels, Belgium, on 26 June 2012.
On the part of the European Union, the European Parliament approved the agreement on 11 December 2012 and subsequently notified the completion of its internal procedures for the provisional application of the agreement on 27 February 2013.
On the Colombian side, the internal process for its approval in the Congress of the Republic began in November 2012 and lasted until June 5, 2013, ending with the sanction of President Juan Manuel Santos, through Law 1669 of 16 July 2013. For its part, through judgment C-335/14 of 2014, the Constitutional Court declared the agreement constitutional, indicating that it complies with the Political Constitution, both in its formal aspect and in its material content.
The president of the republic, through Decree 1513 of 18 July 2013, provisionally applied the Trade Agreement and notified the European Union of the fulfillment of the internal procedures required for this purpose. Additionally, through the same Decree, the decision was made to provisionally apply the agreement as of 1 August 2013.
On 31 July 2013, through Decree 1636, the market access commitments acquired by Colombia under the Trade Agreement were implemented.
On 5 November 2014, the national government issued Decree 2247, which states that our country will continue to apply without interruption, under the terms set forth in Decree 1513 of 2013, the Trade Agreement signed with the European Union and its member states, after having complied with all internal requirements provided for in our law for its approval. For Colombia and Peru, the agreement entered into force in 2013; and for Ecuador in 2017.
TLC EU and Colombia
Antecedents
Association agreement CAN-EU By 2002, Colombia only had deep trade agreements with the countries of Canada, Mexico and Venezuela within the framework of the G3. However, between 2004 and 2006 there was a development in Colombia's internationalisation policy, resulting in the negotiation of a CAN-MERCOSUR agreement, a FTA with Chile, another with the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador), the FTA with the United States and the expansion of the partial scope agreement with Cuba. Then, between 2007 and 2008, negotiations began for a FTA with Canada, with the countries of the European Free Trade Association (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) and with the European Union as a bloc with Colombia. In addition, the government hopes to deepen the agreement it has with Mexico and strengthen its relationship with Peru within the framework of Colombia. This gives rise to a common challenge between Colombia and the EU to negotiate and sign an ‘’’Association Agreement’’’, which will allow them to strengthen their political dialogue, intensify their cooperation and enhance their reciprocal trade. The main pillars of this agreement were: political dialogue, cooperation and trade. This agreement would be negotiated block by block and would take into account the recognition of existing asymmetries, where there would be special and differentiated treatment for Ecuador and Bolivia.
Pillar of political dialogue: As a general objective, this was intended to strengthen political dialogue on the different issues of interest to the parties, in order to strengthen Andean integration and the relations between both integration processes through the established mechanisms. This political dialogue was institutionalised in 1996 with the signing in Rome of a Joint Declaration on the subject and, in order to give greater impetus to this dialogue, in 2003 the Agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation was signed.
Pillar of cooperation: This sought to intensify cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with mechanisms and strategies that would contribute to overcoming the existing asymmetries in its three dimensions (B-B, Interior CAN] and country dimension). This Andean-European cooperation would evolve over time, strengthening in the 1970s in the commercial field, in the 1980s special emphasis was placed on cooperation for development and, in the 1990s; it was directed towards building a group of mechanisms for industrial, scientific-technological and inter-company cooperation.
Trade Pillar This sought to achieve real and effective access to consolidate, deepen and diversify various trade flows of Andean goods and services. Likewise, FDI flows between the two regions on the basis of unequal liberalisations in a bi-regional FTA, and reflecting the existence of asymmetries and Special and Differential Treatment between the Andean Community and the European Union, as well as within the Andean Community, taking into account the interests and properties and specific sensitivities of the CAN.
Negotiation of multi-party agreements In 2009, the rounds of negotiations for multi-party agreements began. A total of 9 rounds were held in three different cities, starting on 19 February in Bogotá and ending on 26 February 2010 in Brussels. Colombia directly entered into negotiations on various points during this year, such as:
Access to markets Six points of interest for Colombia are being negotiated
Consolidation and expansion of Colombia's export offer: Increase and strengthen the process of commercial integration of Colombia in the global economy, by seeking better access conditions for the Colombian export offer.
Colombia's tariff reduction and elimination program: Achieve tariff reduction periods in Colombia that allow the Colombian production system to adapt to the new competitive conditions.
EU Tariff Reduction and Elimination Program: Achieve the immediate reduction of tariffs on Colombia's current and potential exportable supply.
Competitiveness: Prevent the creation of unequal conditions of competition that affect local production and optimise costs in the acquisition of inputs, machinery and equipment.
SGP plus: Preserve and improve the access conditions of both general and "Plus" SGP.
Non-tariff restrictions: Achieve effective access to the European Union market by eliminating unjustified non-tariff restrictions affecting bilateral trade in goods.
Agriculture Eight points of interest for Colombia are being negotiated.
Market access Liberalisation of the current and potential exportable agricultural offer of Colombia: Achieve tariff-free access for the current and potential exportable agricultural offer of Colombia, including those products that benefit from the Special Customs Regimes. Tariff concessions will not take into account subheadings that have a zero MFN tariff in the European Union. Consolidate the GSP plus preferences for products of interest to Colombia. Eliminate tariff barriers, quantitative restrictions and other non-tariff barriers to facilitate real access for the Colombian agricultural offer. Agree on asymmetry in the modalities of tariff reduction in favour of Colombia. Seek the elimination of distortions derived from State or mixed companies of the EU.
Market Access - Treatment of sensitive Colombian products: The liberalisation program will provide adequate protection to sensitive Colombian production. Maintain price stabilisation mechanisms. Take into account the "Preference Clause" of the Colombia-U.S. FTA and the MFN provisions of other trade agreements, which will be a reference for the negotiation.
Market Access - Export and Import Restrictions: Eliminate export and import restrictions for bilateral trade.
Market Access Special Agricultural Safeguard: Have an automatic trade defence mechanism to regulate imports of sensitive products that require it in the agricultural sector.
Market Access Special Agricultural Safeguard: Have an automatic trade defence mechanism to regulate imports of sensitive products that require it in the agricultural sector.
Domestic Support - Mechanisms to counteract trade-distorting domestic support: Colombia and the European Union will promote the dismantling of trade-distorting domestic support in the WTO. Seek mechanisms to counteract the distorting effects of the application of domestic support in the European Union. Colombia will have at its disposal the necessary domestic support measures for agriculture.
Export subsidies: Eliminate all forms of export subsidies under the WTO for bilateral trade and prevent any possibility of their reintroduction.