The Colombia government confirmed on Friday the sending of formal letters to the United States government in which it expresses its will to open a bilateral dialogue process oriented to check the 10% tariff imposed by Washington.
(Read more: Trump additional tariffs on Chinese products reach 145%, says Decree)
This initiative occurs in a context of global commercial uncertainty, just when the visit to Bogotá is announced by a delegate of the US commercial representative.
This was announced by the Minister (E) of Commerce, Cielo Rusinque, who stressed that “Until today we are officially based on those letters to the United States government that are not at all a way for the conflict resolution mechanism” contemplated in the commercial agreement in force since 2012 between the two countries.
As explained, the intention of the Colombian government is “Manifest our willingness to enter into this process of negotiation and review of the best conditions to seek an eventual reduction to that 10% tariff that governs even today.”
The official clarified that Colombia was not included in the list of countries with more burdensome reciprocal measures announced by the United States, which have been temporarily suspended.
Minister of Commerce (e) Rusinque sky and the Colombian ambassador to the US, Daniel García-Peña.
Courtesy
(See: European Union also suspends for 90 days its countermeasures to US tariffs.)
“The suspension that was informed by the United States government yesterday is concerning reciprocal measures […] Colombia was not part of those measures or in those scenarios ”, Rusinque said.
The 10% tariff remains in force for several of the countries, including Colombia. “We are going to analyze products such as flowers, for example roses, other countries face a total tariff of up to 16.8%, while for Colombia it remains at 10%”explained the minister in charge.
Rusinque called to avoid hurried or uninformed interpretations about the current commercial situation.
Additionally, the minister (e) confirmed that the visit of the USTR delegate represents an advance in the bilateral approach process. “Somehow is a materialization of that dialogue that we have requested to undertake with the United States government”Rusinque said, who stressed that this visit occurs “On the initiative of the United States government.” The meeting will serve to review “Issues of that bilateral relationship within the framework of the commercial agreement.”
One of the issues that could be on the table, according to the minister, are the calls “Irritant risks”, that is, commercial barriers identified by the US. UU. As obstacles to bilateral trade. “We are analyzing the negotiation and the possibilities of suddenly to work between these barriers that have been identified and that have been informed by public knowledge,” held.
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Despite the tensions generated by the tariffs, Rusinque stressed that the FTA remains a current and useful instrument for both parties. “We are not talking at this time of reconfiguration or a total renegotiation, but of assessing the conditions that this treaty has, which since 2012 has represented some advantages for the two countries,” affirmed. In his opinion, the current situation forces “Check how we can do within the framework of that FTA that already governs us to achieve greater certainty.”
The Colombian government considers that the current scenario also offers opportunities. “This does not lose the validity of the commercial treaty with the United States,” Rusinque indicated, highlighting that, although the 10%tariff persists, Colombia still enjoys comparative advantages against countries with higher combined rates.
In parallel, the minister in charge reiterated the executive’s commitment to the commercial diversification strategy. Accessed about the initiative to approach Asian countries, Rusinque explained that The Government looks good for the strengthening of relations In multilateral scenarios such as the Silk Route, although he clarified that it is not a personal decision but an institutional policy.
Finally, Rusinque insisted that any advance in negotiation with the United States must follow institutional channels and not unofficial ways. “The invitation here is to avoid precipitating ourselves in the analysis, in speculation, and to also give us the time to advance in the framework of that institutional relationship that necessarily passes through the national government”he concluded.
(More news: the reasons for the United States to pause the imposition of tariffs)
Diana K. Rodríguez T.
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