The Colombian government began the process of denunciation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Israel, after a guideline given by the President of the Republic in the framework of the country’s foreign and commercial policy.
According to a letter sent by the Ministry of Commerce, and was published by W Radio, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was instructed To advance the necessary efforts that allow compliance with the formalities established in international law.
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According to the document, The procedure is based on article 15.4 of the Colombian-Israel FTA, which contemplates the possibility that any of the parties unilaterally denounce the agreement. As stipulated, “any of the parties may report this agreement through a diplomatic note to the other party.” The same article establishes that the complaint will take effect six months after receipt of the notification.
The request expresses that the sending of the diplomatic note must be done “as soon as possible”, in order to activate the term provided for in the treaty. The communication, aimed at the Foreign Ministry, emphasizes that a note model was attached that will serve as a reference for its remission to the Israeli government.
The official text indicates that The measure responds to a decision adopted within the framework of the Executive’s foreign policy and seeks to ensure that the procedure is in accordance with the international provisions and the current legal system.
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The bilateral treaty entered into force in August 2020 and granted tariff preferences to agricultural and manufactured products.
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“In order to ensure that this decision is made in accordance with the procedures and formalities established in international law, we respectfully request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to advance the corresponding efforts to denounce the Free Trade Agreement between the Republic of Colombia and the State of Israel”Indicates the instruction.
The procedure implies an inter -institutional coordination work. The Government underlines the need for the decision to materialize “timely, transparent and according to the current legal system”. The official communication was sent to Foreign Minister Yolanda Villavicencio Mapy, in its capacity as responsible for diplomatic relations, with a copy to the judicial direction of the Foreign Ministry.
The NAFTA between Colombia and Israel entered into force in August 2020, after approval in the Colombian Congress and the fulfillment of the constitutional and legal procedures of both countries. With the decision to denounce the agreement, the Colombian government for the first time the termination clause provided for in article 15.4, which sets the period of six months of validity after the official notification.
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The Foreign Ministry received the instruction to send a diplomatic note to Israel to activate the termination process.
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The measure has direct implications on bilateral commercial relations. In recent years, Israel consolidated itself as a strategic partner for Colombia in areas such as technology, innovation and defense. The treaty, in force for five years, had allowed tariff preferences and strengthening exports in agricultural and manufactured products. With the complaint, these commercial conditions will be under review once the established deadline is met.
The procedure for denouncing a FTA responds to a mechanism contemplated in the multilateral trade treaties and in the World Trade Organization regulations (WTO)which establishes that bilateral agreements may be terminated whenever the agreed notice deadlines are respected. In this case, the deadline is six months from the date on which Israel receives formal notification.
With this decision, The Colombian government marks a turn in its commercial policy towards Israel. The document concludes by reiterating the importance of advancing in the diplomatic process in the shortest possible time to comply with the presidential guideline.
(See more: Petro expels Colombia to Israeli diplomats for arrest from flotilla to Gaza)
Diana K. Rodríguez T.
Portfolio journalist
