In accordance with the provisions of the new regulation, for two years, imported raw materials will be tax-free to strengthen the national industry.
News Colombia.
The national government took a key step to promote the textile and footwear industry in Colombia. Through Decree 1184 of November 8, 2025, the Executive established a 0% tariff on imports of inputs and raw materials used in these sectors.
The measure, issued by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MinCIT), aims to close productivity gaps, strengthen production chains and sophisticate domestic and exportable supply. According to the rule, the benefit will apply only to imports from countries with which Colombia does not have current trade agreements.
#ChangeNews| The Government of Change announced that 37 inputs and raw materials for the manufacture of clothing and footwear will have zero tariffs for their import.
The measure seeks to reduce costs and strengthen the competitiveness of the national industry https://t.co/c4AAlKmMF7
⬇️ pic.twitter.com/HXDpIERa9Y— MinComercio Colombia (@MincomercioCo) November 12, 2025
The decree, signed by President Gustavo Petro, the Minister of Finance, Germán Ávila, and the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Diana Marcela Morales, will be valid for two years, during which an annual review will be carried out by the Customs, Tariff and Foreign Trade Affairs Committee to evaluate its impact on the national economy.
The document was issued after analyzing the recommendation presented by said Committee in its 377th session on July 15, 2025, where it was proposed to defer to 0% the tariff rate for imports that are classified as inputs and raw materials of the clothing and footwear sector.
According to the Government, the reduction of costs in raw materials and inputs will allow national companies to compete in better conditions against imported products. Furthermore, he points out that reducing tariffs is an effective strategy to reduce production costs and strengthen the country’s industrial structure.
The textile and clothing sector is one of the great job generators in Colombia. Figures from the MinCIT indicate that, during 2024, this activity linked 490,000 people, which represented 2.1% of the total employed people in the country, estimated at 23 million. The manufacturing of clothing was the activity with the greatest participation, generating 406,000 jobs (82.9%), followed by the manufacturing of articles with textile materials, with 17,000 jobs, as detailed in the Decree.
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