WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/STR/N/13/COL 
1 July 2010 
 
 (10-3583) 
Working Party on State Trading Enterprises Original:   Spanish 
  
 
STATE TRADING 
 
New and Full Notification Pursuant to Article XVII.4(a) of the GATT 1994 and
 
Paragraph 1 of the Understanding on the Interpretation of Article XVII  
 
COLOMBIA 
   The following communication, dated 24 June 2010,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Colombia. 
 
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I. ENUMERATION OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES  
A. I
DENTIFICATION OF STATE TRADING ENTERPRISES1 
• (Fábrica de Licores y Alcoholes de Antioquia, Aguardiente Nariño, Unidad de 
Licores del Meta).2 
• (Empresa Licorera de Santander, Empresa Li corera del Magdalena, Industria Licorera 
de Boyacá, Industria Licorera de Bolívar , Industria de Licores del Atlántico).3 
• (Industria Licorera de Caldas, Empresas de  Licores de Cundinamarca, Industria de 
Licores del Valle, Industria Licorera del Cauca, Fábrica de Licores del Tolima).4 
B. DESCRIPTION OF PRODUCTS AFFECTED (INCLUDING TARIFF ITEM NUMBER (S) ENCOMPASSED 
IN PRODUCT DESCRIPTION ) 
FÁBRICA DE LICORES Y ALCOHOLES DE ANTIOQUIA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Antioqueño ( aguardiente  or sugar-cane liquor) 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Antioqueño sin Azúcar (sugar-free aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Medellín Añejo (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Vodka Monteskaya 22.08.60.00.00 
                                                      
1 Not all Colombian distillers operate as or are constitu ted as State industrial and trading enterprises.  
Some form an integral part of the department or are under concession. 
2 Distilleries attached to the department. 
3 Concessionaire enterprises. 
4 State industrial and trading enterprises. G/STR/N/13/COL 
Page 2  
 
  Licor de Menta (mint liqueur) 22.08.70.90.00 
Licor de Café (coffee liqueur) 22.08.70.90.00 
Ron Cream Siboney (rum cream liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
Ginebra Katia (gin) 22.08.50.00.00 
 
INDUSTRIA LICORERA DE BOLÍVAR 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Licor Tres Esquinas (rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
INDUSTRIA LICORERA DE BOYACÁ 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Ónix Sello Negro 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Ónix Sello Negro Etiqueta Roja 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Ónix Sello Negro Etiqueta Plateada 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Líder 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Líder sin Azúcar (sugar-free aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Boyacá (rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Tunja (rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Añejo Boyacá (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Brandy Lanceros 22.08.20.29.00 
Crema de Cacao (chocolate liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
Crema de Café (coffee liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
Crema Triple Sec (triple sec liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
Aperitivo Aguardiente Líder Tradicional ( aguardiente  aperitif) 22.08.70.90.00 
Aperitivo Ron Añejo Boyacá (aged rum aperitif) 22.08.70.90.00 
 
INDUSTRIA LICORERA DE CALDAS  
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Cristal 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Amarillo de Manzanares (yellow aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Cristal sin Azúcar (sugar-free aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Viejo de Caldas (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Extraviejo Juan de la Cruz  (extra-aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Carta de Oro (extra-aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Vodka Sabolinaya 22.08.60.00.00 
Crema de Ron Cheers (rum cream liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
Crema de Café Kaldi (coffee liqueur) 22.08.70.20.00 
  G/STR/N/13/COL 
 Page 3 
 
 
  INDUSTRIA LICORERA DEL CAUCA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Caucano 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Añejo del Cauca (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
EMPRESA DE LICORES DE CUNDINAMARCA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Néctar Azul 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Néctar Tradicional 22.08.40.00.00 
Licor Anisado Néctar Club sin Azúcar (sugar-free 
anise-flavoured liqueur) 22.08.90.42.00 
Ron Blanco Sun Dry (white rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Santafé Añejo (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
Licor Anisado 180 (anise-flavoured liqueur) 22.08.90.42.00 
 
INDUSTRIA LICORERA DEL HUILA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Doble Anís (anise-flavoured aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron San Agustín (rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
EMPRESA LICORERA DEL MAGDALENA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Ron Caña Negro (sugar-cane rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
FÁBRICA DE LICORES DEL TOLIMA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Tapa Roja 22.08.40.00.00 
Licor de Aguardiente Tapa Roja Ice (low-alcohol aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Viejo San Juan (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
INDUSTRIA DE LICORES DEL VALLE DEL CAUCA 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Blanco del Valle (white aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron Trapiche Premium (premium rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 G/STR/N/13/COL 
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  UNIDAD DE LICORES DEL META 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Llanero 22.08.40.00.00 
Ron San Martín Añejo (aged rum) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
EMPRESA LICORERA DE SANTANDER 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Santander 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Superior (premium aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
 
EMPRESA DE LICORES DEL CAQUETÁ (in liquidation) 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Extra del Caquetá (premium aguardiente ) 22.08.40.00.00 
Aguardiente Sol Dorado 22.08.40.00.00 
 
AGUARDIENTE NARIÑO 
 
PRODUCT NAME HS NUMBER 
Aguardiente Nariño 22.08.40.00.00 
 
II. REASON AND PURPOSE 
A. REASON OR PURPOSE FOR ESTABLISHING AND /OR MAINTAINING STATE TRADING 
ENTERPRISE  
 Colombian distilleries provide a significant source of income for the departmental tax 
authorities which ensure the sustainability of hea lth services in many regions of the country.  
Furthermore, the distilleries' profits are transferred to  the departments, in some cases in their entirety.  
In short, the reasons for the existe nce of the distilleries are as follows: 
  1. Ease of administration and monitoring of tax payments.  
 2. Profits go to the departments, not to a private entity. 
  3. Resources are invested in deprived areas of the country.   4. Departmental distilleries are subject to  an additional tax which private enterprises 
would not be prepared to pay. 
 
 5. Job creation.   6. Taxes generated in 2009 amount to ap proximately 1,096 billion Colombian pesos. 
  G/STR/N/13/COL 
 Page 5 
 
 
  B. SUMMARY OF LEGAL BASIS FOR GRANTING THE RELEVANT EXCLUSIVE OR SPECIAL RIGHTS 
OR PRIVILEGES , INCLUDING LEGAL PROVISIONS AND SUMMARY OF STATUTORY OR 
CONSTITUTIONAL POWERS  
 Under Article 336 of the Political Constitution of Colombia, Article 61 of Law No. 14 of 
1983, Decree No. 1222 of 1986 and Law No. 788 of 2002,  the departments, i.e. the territorial 
divisions of the country, are independent administra tors of the spirits monopoly, with discretion to 
allocate revenue on the basis of preferential a llocation to the education and health services. 
 
III. DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE STATE TRADING ENTERPRISE 
 The departmental distilleries produce, export and import alcoholic be verages.  Individual 
traders may engage in export and import activities af ter concluding a contract ual agreement with the 
department concerned.   The agreement includes clauses concerning the term of validity and the qua ntity of spirits that 
may be distributed, as well as the department's pe rcentage share under the monopoly of the sale price 
of the products. 
 
IV. STATISTICAL INFORMATION 
• TABLE I:  Structure of the Colombian spirits market (including domestic and 
imported spirits), 2009. 
• TABLE II:  Sales of rum and aguardiente  on the domestic market, 2009. 
• TABLE III:  Industria Licorera  de Caldas.  Exports 2009. 
• TABLE IV:  Fábrica de Licores y Alcoholes de Antioquia.  Exports 2009. 
• TABLE V:  Empresa de Licores de Cundinamarca.  Exports 2009. 
• TABLE VI:  Industria Licorera  del Valle.  Exports 2009. 
• TABLE VII:  Fábrica de Licores y Alcoholes de Antioquia.  Imports 2009. 
• TABLE VIII:  Empresa de Licores de Cundinamarca.  Imports 2009. 
• TABLE IX:  Industria de Lico res del Valle.  Imports 2009. 
• TABLE X:  Industria de Licores del Cauca.  Imports 2009. G/STR/N/13/COL 
Page 6  
 
  TABLE I 
 
STRUCTURE OF THE COLOMBIAN SPIRITS MARKET 
(INCLUDING DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED SPIRITS) 
2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
PRODUCT 2009 
WHISKY 4.83 
VODKA 0.50 
GIN 0.10 
BRANDY-COGNAC 0.04 
IMPORTED RUM 0.30 
TEQUILA 0.34 
CREAM LIQUEURS (IMPORTED) 0.73 
READY-TO-DRINK BEVERAGES (IMPORTED) 2.42 
MISC. SPIRITS (IMPORTED) 0.24 
AGUARDIENTE 85.60 
DOMESTIC RUM 34.19 
WINE OF GRAPES FROM CHILE AND ARGENTINA 11.87 
WINE OF GRAPES FROM THIRD COUNTRIES 2.54 
SPARKLING WINES 0.81 
VERMOUTH 0.53 
CERTAIN PRODUCTS CONTAINING LESS THAN 15 PER CENT 
ALCOHOL 27.12 
BEER 2,620.72 
TOTAL MILLIONS OF 750 CC UNITS 2,792.97 
Note: Excludes data relating to the informal market and products not considered as di stilled spirits pursuant to 
Decree No. 365/95. 
Source : Data from the Fondo Cuenta  (account fund for taxes on the consumption of foreign products), Asociación 
Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL (Colombian Distillers' Association).   G/STR/N/13/COL 
 Page 7 
 
 
  TABLE II 
 
SALES OF RUM AND AGUARDIENTE ON THE DOMESTIC MARKET 
2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
Description of 
product (including 
HS number) National 
production Total domestic sales by 
State trading enterprises 
2009 National consumption (only 
includes data relating to the 
formal industry (imports and 
national departments)) 
22.08.40.00.00 89.84 89.84 90.26 
Source :  Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL). 
 
TABLE III  
 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON AGUARDIENTE AND RUM EXPORTS 
 
STATE TRADING:  INDUSTRIA LICORERA DE CALDAS 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number)  Quantity 
exported by 
State trading 
enterprise  Average 
procurement 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
US$ Average 
export price
US$ 
 1 2 3 4 5 
2009 22.08.40.00 0.60 2.17 5.16 2.17 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL). 
 
TABLE IV 
 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON AGUARDIENTE AND RUM EXPORTS 
 
STATE TRADING:  FÁBRICA DE LICORES Y ALCOHOLES DE ANTIOQUIA 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
exported by 
State trading 
enterprise Average 
procurement 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price US$ Average 
export price
US$ 
 1 2 3 4 5 
2009 22.08.40.00 1.30 3.98 6.61 3.98 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licorera , ACIL). G/STR/N/13/COL 
Page 8  
 
  TABLE V 
 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON AGUARDIENTE AND RUM EXPORTS 
 
STATE TRADING:  EMPRESA DE LICORES DE CUNDINAMARCA 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
exported by 
State trading 
enterprise Average 
procurement 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
US$ Average 
export price
US$ 
 1 2 3 4 5 
2009 22.08.40.00 0.025 2.66 4.46 2.66 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL). 
 
TABLE VI 
 
STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON AGUARDIENTE AND RUM EXPORTS 
 
STATE TRADING:  INDUSTRIA LICORERA DEL VALLE 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
exported by 
State trading 
enterprise Average 
procurement 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
US$ Average 
export price
US$ 
 1 2 3 4 5 
2009 22.08.40.00 0.27 3.38 4.32 3.38 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL). 
  G/STR/N/13/COL 
 Page 9 
 
 
  TABLE VII 
 
FÁBRICA DE LICORES Y ALCOHOLES DE ANTIOQUIA 
 
IMPORTS 2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
imported  Average import 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
US$ f.o.b. value
US$ million
2009 22.08.40.00 0.34 1.38 6.93 0.47 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL). 
Year 2009, f.o.b. value.  Import declarations, Obse rvatory, Office of Economic Studies, Ministry of 
Commerce, Industry and Tourism. 
Calculations: Ministry of Co mmerce, Industry and Tourism. 
 
TABLE VIII 
 
EMPRESA DE LICORES DE CUNDINAMARCA 
 
IMPORTS 2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
imported  Average import 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
(1) f.o.b. value
US$ million
2009 22.08.40.00 4.06 0.81 n/a 3.29 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL) - (1) - 
Information not available. 
Year 2009, f.o.b. value.  Import declarations, Obse rvatory, Office of Economic Studies, Ministry of 
Commerce, Industry and Tourism. 
Calculations: Ministry of Co mmerce, Industry and Tourism.  G/STR/N/13/COL 
Page 10  
 
  TABLE IX 
 
INDUSTRIA DE LICORES DEL VALLE 
 
IMPORTS 2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
imported  Average import 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
(1) f.o.b. value
US$ million
2009 22.08.40.00 3.84 0.76 n/a 2.91 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL) - (1) - 
Information not available. 
Year 2009, f.o.b. value.  Import declarations, Obse rvatory, Office of Economic Studies, Ministry of 
Commerce, Industry and Tourism. 
Calculations: Ministry of Co mmerce, Industry and Tourism.  
 
TABLE X 
 
INDUSTRIA DE LICORES DEL CAUCA 
 
IMPORTS 2009 
 
Millions of 750 cc units 
 
YEAR Description of 
product 
(including 
HS number) Quantity 
imported  Average import 
price 
US$ Average 
representative 
domestic sales 
price 
(1) f.o.b. value
US$ million
2009 22.08.40.00 0.52 0.77 n/a 0.40 
Source : Colombian Distillers' Association ( Asociación Colombiana de Industrias Licoreras , ACIL) - (1) - 
Information not available. 
Year 2009, f.o.b. value.  Import declarations, Obse rvatory, Office of Economic Studies, Ministry of 
Commerce, Industry and Tourism. 
Calculations: Ministry of Co mmerce, Industry and Tourism. 
 
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