Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )

vigentes en Colombia

TRATADOS DE LIBRE COMERCIO VIGENTES DE COLOMBIA

(TLC)

Erika Daniela Aguilera Malaver, V Semestre de Ingeniería Industrial, estudiante, Universidad Militar
Nueva Granada, u5800880@unimilitar.edu.co.

RESUMEN

El presente artículo tiene como propósito exponer el desarrollo, los avances y las consolidaciones de los
dieciséis (16) diferentes acuerdos comerciales vigentes en Colombia, en las cuales se incluyen tratados de
libre comercio (TLC) y acuerdos de alcance parcial señalando los comportamientos de las exportaciones de
bienes y servicios.

Palabras clave: Exportación, importación, comercial, bienes y servicios, aranceles.

FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS IN FORCE IN COLOMBIA

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to present the development, progress and consolidations of the sixteen (16)
different trade agreements in force in Colombia, which include free trade agreements (FTA) and partial scope
agreements, indicating the behavior of the exports of goods and services.

Keywords: Export, import, commercial, goods and services, tariffs.

1
 Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia

1. INTRODUCTION Graph 2

The free trade agreement better known as FTA is

based mainly on the realization of a trade
agreement where two or more countries are linked
to try or agree to the reduction or exclusion of tariffs
on the goods and services of the parties.

In Colombia, NAFTA can be viewed from the

perspective of a generator of opportunities for the
Colombian population since it offers the opportunity
for employment, in addition to improving the
country's economy.

Colombia has sixteen (16) trade agreements in

which are: CAN (1973), Panama and Chile (1993), Table 1
Caricom and Mexico (1995), Cuba (2001),
Mercosur (2005), Northern Triangle (2009), EFTA
and Canada (2011), EU and Venezuela (2012),
European Union (2013) and Korea, Costa Rica and
Pacific Alliance (2016). In Latin America, in number
of agreements, Colombia ranks fifth behind Chile,
Mexico, Panama and Peru (MinComercio, 2020).

In this way, trade agreements guarantee the

permanence of these preferences with these
countries and also stimulate foreign direct
investment thanks to the legal certainty that these
agreements generate. (MinComercio, 2020).
Graph 3

2. METHODOLOGY.

The research design used is descriptive since it

implies observing and describing the behavior of the
trade agreements in force in Colombia, through
reliable sources.

3. RESULTS
Graph 1

2
 Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia

Graph 7

Graph 4

Graph 5 Graph 8

Graph 6 Graph 9

3
 Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia

Graph 10 Graph 13

Graph 14
Graph 11

Graph 12
Graph 15

4
 Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia

4. DISCUSSION (OR ANALYSIS OF

RESULTS)
Graph 16
Regarding graph 1, it is observed that between
2005 and 2019, Colombian exports grew at an
average annual rate of 4.6% in value and 3% in
volume in 2019, when analyzing this graph a
comparison is made with the immediately previous
year, In 2018, Colombian exports grew at an
average annual rate of 5.4% in value and 3.9% in
volume. On the other hand, total imports grew at an
average annual rate of 6.9% in value and 6.1% in
volume, as well as in 2018 total imports grew at an
average annual rate of 7.2% in value and 5.9% in
volume , which leads us to see that exports and
imports for 2019 decreased compared to 2018.

For graph 2 it is observed that between 2005 and

Graph 17 2019, exports to countries with a trade agreement
grew at an average annual rate of 12.2% in value
and 19% in volume, where, unlike the previous
year, 2018 exports to countries with an agreement
Commercial growth at an average annual rate of
13.3% in value and 21.5% in volume. On the other
hand, imports did so at 13.1% in value and 12.9% in
volume for 2019, while for the previous year, 2018,
imports did so at 13.9% in value and 12.9% in
volume; In this way, it is observed that imports and
exports for countries with agreements for the year
2019 also decreased compared to the year 2018.

For table 1 we want to show the exports of services

Gráfica 18 to countries with which Colombia has free trade
agreements (FTA) which have kept their
participation in total exports of services relatively
stable.

In graph 3 it is observed that for the year 2015 the

trade balance begins to have a deficit and that in
turn for the year 2017 it began to recover little by
little, but it returns and falls for the year 2018 and
2019 due to the decrease in the sale of coal (-44%)
going from US $ 1,831 million to US $ 1,025 million
and ferronickel (-32%) going from US $ 87.8 million
to US $ 48.9 million this for the commercial balance.
For exports, it is evident that over time they have
fallen, that is to say that they have clearly stopped

5

exporting, while imports have increased in great
quantity and they have tried to maintain.
For graph 4 it is evident that since 2012 the deficit
was in the most difficult part and that little by little it
had been recovering notoriously until 2018 where a
surplus was observed, but for 2019 it returns and
clearly falls, having again a deficit, mainly explained
by the fall in mining and energy exports, in addition
to the fact that gold exports went from US $ 203
million in 2018 to zero in 2019, in a similar situation
it is observed in the sales of crude petroleum oils
reached US $ 140 million in 2018, and there is no
sales record in 2019, this for the trade balance. For
exports, Canada is low, but nevertheless it occupies
one of the 20 main destinations for Colombian
exports, representing 1.1% of the total exported to
the world. In imports, Canada was the number 11
supplier for Colombia worldwide, participating with
1.7% of total Colombian purchases.
For graph 5 in 2016, I try to overcome the deficit
that had been present since 2013, but that surplus
was not able to be maintained since for 2017 it
began to fall again and for 2019 the deficit has been
significant for the trade balance. As for EFTA
exports, they have fallen by 43% due to the general
reduction in gold sales, thus in 2019 exports for US
$ 215.3 million were registered, 43% less than the
value registered the previous year, Due to the drop
in gold sales (–67%), imports reached US $ 469.7
million with a decrease of 2%, compared to the
amount registered in the previous year. These
results are explained by the decrease in purchases
of the other mixtures of odoriferous substances (-
40%) and the other drugs containing antibiotics, for
human use (-70%).
Graph 6 shows that the trade balance recovered
compared to the previous year. For imports, a small
growth of 2% is observed compared to the previous
year due to the increase in imports of petroleum oils
and bituminous material by 33%, going from US $
2,342.9 million in 2018 to US $ 3,126.9 million in
2019, for exports, they also increased by 2% thanks
to non-mining-energy products, which were
6
Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia
exported by 38% of the total products exported to
the United States.
For graph 7 it is observed that the deficit that had
been recovered fell again which represents a loss of
9.7% compared to the previous year 2018, this
mainly due to the low import of mining-energy
products, this for the trade balance. Regarding
exports Colombia - South Korea for the year 2019
showed a noticeable reduction compared to 2018
by 23.2%, this due to a drop in sales of coal, crude
oil and ferronickel, as well as imports in 2019 They
also fell by 16.9% due to the decrease in purchases
of alternating current electronic groups,
dodecylbenzene (a component of laundry products)
and vehicles for the transport of people, mainly.
Graph 8 shows that the deficit that had been
exceeded in 2017 is falling again and with more
force for the year 2019 as well as for the trade
balance. For exports with Pacific Alliance they
decreased by 12% with a report of US $ 3,523
million compared to the previous year 2018, in the
same way as imports, but these decreased by 3%
with a novelty of US $ 5,094 million.
For graph 9 it is evident that a surplus has always
been obtained which decreased only by 1%
compared to the previous year 2018, this in terms of
the trade balance. For exports they had an
improvement of 2% with US $ 3,235 million, as well
as imports that increased by 5% with a report of US
$ 1,910 million; In other words, for Colombia-
Andean community, imports and exports improved
strongly for 2019.
Graph 10 shows a notorious deficit for the year
2019 which was manifested in the agricultural part
where it has a deficit of US $ 796 million and the
industrial part of which is deficit of US $ 1,467
million for the trade balance. For exports there is
evidence of an improvement of 8% with US $ 1,780
million, compared to 2018 and imports also clearly
improved by 16%, reporting US $ 4,043 million
compared to 2018; It is evident that for 2019
Colombia-Mercosur the situation improved in terms
of exports and imports but there is still a deficit in
the trade balance.

For graph 11 with Mexico there is a deficit that has
been decreasing from 2017 to 2019 in terms of the
trade balance. For exports they fell with respect to
the previous year by 14% with a report of US $
4,043 million, imports also had a decrease of 2%
with US $ 3,754 million compared to the previous
year, which reflects that for Colombia-Mexico the
situation does not It improved compared to 2018,
but on the contrary, it decreased and more notably
in exports.
Regarding graph 12 for the trade balance, a
surplus is positively recorded, which has been
increasing favorably since 2016. For exports there
were also positive figures since there is an increase
of 12% with a report of US $ 594 million, compared
to 2018. For imports there was a decrease of 29%
with a novelty of US $ 59 million, with respect to the
year previous. Thus, it can be seen that for
Colombia-Northern Triangle there was a great
improvement in exports as well as in economic
balances, but that despite that their imports did
decrease.
For graph 13 a surplus is reflected but that
decreased for the year 2019 which had been
growing from 2016 to 2018 in terms of the trade
balance. Regarding exports, there was a decrease
of 19% with US $ 968 million, unlike in 2018, in the
same way imports decreased by 11% with a novelty
of US $ 620 million, so we see that for the year
2019 Colombia-Chile there was a decline in all
areas, but especially in exports.
For graph 13 a surplus is reflected but that
decreased for the year 2019 which had been
growing from 2016 to 2018 in terms of the trade
balance. Regarding exports, there was a decrease
of 19% with US $ 968 million, unlike in 2018, in the
same way imports decreased by 11% with a novelty
of US $ 620 million, so we see that for the year
2019 Colombia-Chile there was a decline in all
areas, but especially in exports.
Graph 15 shows a surplus in the trade balance that
increased notably for the year 2017 and has been
decreasing between 2018 and 2019, where exports
have decreased by 25% with a report of US $ 1.29
7
Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia
billion, compared to the previous year. 2018, on the
other hand, imports have risen by 14% with US $
130 million, compared to 2018, showing that
Colombia-Caricom still carries out mostly exports,
so they have decreased compared to 2018 in this
way its deference with imports continues to be
clearly high.
For graph 16 you can see a surplus that for 2018
had its highest point and for this 2019 it was low
again but without ceasing to be a surplus for the
trade balance, also with an export that fell by 21%
for US $ 40 million in comparison with the previous
year 2018 and for imports there was an increase of
more than 55% with a novelty of US $ 4 million,
compared to the previous year also 2018, thus for
Colombia-Cuba in the last period an improvement
was found in terms of imports to Colombia.
Graph 17 shows a surplus that had been improving
from 2016 to 2018 and that for 2019 returns and
decreases, but still being a surplus, this for the
trade balance, as well as for exports that reported a
decrease of 4 % by US $ 2,816 million, compared to
the previous year 2018 and imports reported a
decrease of 31% with US $ 61 million, difference
from 2018 imports decreased, thus for Colombia-
Panama low in their reports but is at a favorable
point.
For graph 18 it is evident that in the trade balance
there has always been a very good surplus which
decreased a bit for the year 2019, for exports we
see that they fell by 3% with US $ 244 million
compared to the previous year and imports in the
same way they fell but in a percentage more the
cuel due in 1% with US $ 65 million in purchase of
the previous year, in this way we see that
Colombia-Costa Rica that although it had a
decrease remains and continues to be a good deal
since remains in surplus
 Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC )
vigentes en Colombia

3. CONCLUSION

 It was observed that for the year 2019 the

three factors that are taken into account in
the trade agreements that are in force in
Colombia decreased in comparison with the
previous year 2018.

 For the year 2019 it is observed that

exports continued to decline, thus there
were more imports than exports for the year
2019.
 For 2019 there was an increase of 55% for
imports in the treaty with Cuba and also
had a surplus.
 It was evident that for the deal with the
Northern Triangle there was a gain or
increase in exports with 12% and that in
turn it also has a surplus in the trade
balance.
 For the Colombia-Venezuela treaty, it is
observed that it was the one that fell the
most in the three areas, in exports it fell by
45% and in imports by 67%, that is, this
treaty is not giving good results.

4. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

[1]http://www.tlc.gov.co/temas-de-
interes/informe-sobre-el-desarrollo-avance-y-
consolidacion
[2]http://www.tlc.gov.co/temas-de-
interes/informe-sobre-el-desarrollo-avance-y-
consolidacion/documentos/ley-1868-informe-
2020.aspx
[3]http://www.tlc.gov.co/temas-de-
interes/informe-sobre-el-desarrollo-avance-y-
consolidacion/documentos/ley-1868-informe-
2019.aspx