RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/C/W/216
28 June 2000
(00-2648)
Council for Trade in Goods Original:  Spanish
REPLIES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA TO QUESTIONS
FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES (G/C/W/180)
REGARDING THE TRIMS EXTENSION REQUEST MADE BY
THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA (G/C/W/169  AND Add.1)
The following communication, dated 20 June 2000, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Colombia.
_______________
Measures
1. Please describe in detail the measure covered by the Government of Colombia's
("GOC") extension request.  for example:
(a) On a commodity-specific basis, what amount of local products must be acquired in
order to receive permission to import (i.e. how much domestic product must be
purchased for each commodity before imports are allowed)?
A coefficient is established relating the physical quantities imported to domestic production.
This coefficient is based on an evaluation of the volumes of internal and external purchases, the
estimated quantities of consumption and production, and the changes occurring in these parameterswithin each year.
(b) Is the acquisition of local products mandatory or is it done in order to receive an
advantage?
The acquisition of local products is mandatory and is done in order to receive an advantage:
• It is mandatory and is required under domestic legal measures of general application.
• Compliance with the TRIM is required in order to obtain authorization to import.
(c) If there is an advantage, please describe it.
The advantage obtained from purchasing local products is that it gives the importer the right
to import agricultural goods in proportion to his share in the purchase of domestic production.
(d) Describe the current "agricultural poli cy" which according to your notification
(G/TRIMS/N/1/COL/2) determines the products that are included in this programme.
The "agricultural policy" which determines the products that are included in this programme
is defined in the Development Plan "Change to Build Peace" and consists in creating the conditions so
that society will invest in the countryside in productive projects that create wealth and employment,G/C/W/216
Page 2
taking into account the comparative advantages gained through the use of proper technology and in
accordance with the principle of the sustainability of the productive resources.  This requires well-
defined measures that encourage business initiatives.
Following that approach, the model for new projects will be integrated production chains,
operating within a favourable macroeconomic climat e with a competitive exchange rate, together with
conditions of peace and security for the reconstruction of rural society, where the State acts as the
facilitator of alliances between various sectors and always in accordance with the guidelines laid
down by the World Trade Organization.
It is the concern of the State to promote and protect domestic production without prejudice to
the process of integration into the international market.  Consequently, there is a need for measureswhich, taking into account the absorption of domestic crops, will bring about a balance in the
conditions of competition.
In a situation where prices are equal there is a clear preference for the imported goods in view
of the credit facilities which often exist and which give rise to lower transaction costs, therebycreating a state of disequilibrium that is harmful to domestic production.  In addition, the present
agro-industrial production structure, which may be described as an oligopsony, puts the domestic
producers at a competitive disadvantage.
Therefore, while imbalances between the sectors continue to exist – though progress is being
made in modernizing their marketing systems so as  to increase their efficiency – most of the
appropriate resources will be directed towards en couraging and giving priority to initiatives for
contract-based agriculture and strategic alliances in competitive production projects.  Consequently,
changes need to be made so as to give them the means to ensure their competitiveness, including such
aspects as institutional organization, funding and the provision of sufficient time for the reconversionof crops that are not economically viable.
With regard to the inclusion of products in the Absorption Policy, the National Council for
Economic and Social Policy (CONPES) and the High er Council for Foreign Trade (CSCE), which are
collegiate bodies chaired by the President of the Republic, made up of the ministers and
administrative directors in the economic field and governed by the Law on the Development Plan, are
examining the difficulties involv ed in marketing specific goods, the contribution of such goods to
sectoral production and the creation of employment, and the feasibility of their overcoming their lack
of competitiveness or, failing that, their reconversion.
(e) What kinds of local goods qualify (Anything?  Some goods but not others? etc.)
The goods that qualify are agricultural goods from production chains in which there are
problems in marketing products of local origin.
(f) What types of imported goods are covered by the programme?
The programme covers the production chains of cereals, oil-seeds and vegetable oils,
including the raw materials involved in production and the intermediate and end products obtained
from them.G/C/W/216
Page 3
(g) What entities are required to comply with the TRIMs-inconsistent measures?  Only
processors of agricultural products, or other entities as well?
The requirement to demonstrate absorption of domestic production applies to any natural or
legal person, whether national or foreign, independently of their economic activity, who intends toimport goods subject to this requirement.
(h) Are there any (local or foreign owned ) entities that are exempt?
There are no local or foreign-owned entities that are exempt from the requirement to absorb
domestic production in order to have access to imports.
(i) What domestic and foreign producers are affected by these measures?
The domestic and foreign producers affected by these measures are the processors of
agricultural goods whose imports are subject to the requirement relating to the absorption of domestic
production.
(j) Describe what the import licence authorizes.  Do all imports of agricultural products
that enter into Colombia need such an impo rt licence?  Is the licen ce specific to certain
products and/or quantities of agricultural products?  Can a licence be received by means
other than by purchasing agricultural products locally?
The import licence authorizes the entry into the national customs area of a specific volume of
agricultural products.  The document contains a description of the product in accordance with the
nomenclature of the Harmonized System and a statement of the volume that it is wished to import.
The licence is valid for a single operation to import the product described therein, although thisoperation may be carried out in one or more shipments up to the volume stated.  All imports of
agricultural products into Colombia require an import licence and, in the case of goods subject to the
absorption requirement, the right to import is only  granted on the basis of proof of the absorption of
domestic production.
(k) Are imports subject to Colombia's WTO tariff-rate quota commitments treated any
differently than imports not subject to such a framework?
In general, all imports of agricultural products receive the same treatment, depending on the
internal marketing conditions and the capacity of the corresponding sector of production to create
employment, adapt itself to compete with imports or carry out reconversion.  Consequently, imports
subject to WTO tariff-rate quota commitments are treated no differently from those for which thereare no such commitments.  However, in fixing the import/export coefficients referred to in
paragraph (a) above, the country's WTO commitments with regard to access are taken into account, so
as to ensure the access conditions necessary for entry into the customs area of the WTO-agreed
minimum current access quotas.
2. How have the measures changed over time?
(a) Describe the agricultural policy on 1 Janua ry 1995?  Have there been any changes since
then?  If so, what are they?
The agricultural policy applied since January  1995 has continued up to the present without
any substantial changes.  It is a transitional policy between the model of import substitution and full
trade liberalization, which seeks to create the conditions necessary for domestic production to adjust
to the new economic environment and which employs mechanisms accepted in the Agreement onG/C/W/216
Page 4
Agriculture and in Colombia's WTO commitments with  a view to encouraging the conditions for  the
development of profitable and competitive agriculture, overcoming the relative stagnation of some
subsectors and dealing with the present and future  environmental consequences of the reorganization
and restructuring of production.
Direct state intervention in the marketing of agricultural goods ended in 1991 with the end of
the monopoly on the import of such goods held by the Colombian Institute of Agricultural Marketing
(IDEMA), whose function as the buyer of last resort  of agricultural goods ended definitively in 1997,
the year in which it was abolished.
Insofar as government intervention in the market for agricultural goods had prevented the
formation of direct market relations between agricultural producers and processors, State interventionhas been necessary in order to encourage the creation of markets for agricultural goods based on the
criteria of quality, availability at the right time and price, which has required the formulation and
implementation of a policy to promote competitiveness by the productive chains, a policy which has
been intensified since 1998.
The policy to promote competitiveness seeks to establish and strengthen competition with
foreign products in local and international markets.  Insofar as this process involves the reallocation of
resources among various productive activities, the assimilation of new technologies and practices of
production and marketing and, in some cases, the relocation of production, it requires time and
agreement between those making up the productive chains on the strategies and commitments that arerequired.
(b) Have any new measures increased the amount or percentage of local products that must
be purchased in order to receive an import licence?
The changes that have been introduced in recent years have been purely regulatory, with a
view to providing greater transparency in the ap plication of the requirement on absorption.  Thus,
there has been no increase in either the amount or percentage of local products that must be purchased
in order to receive an import licence.
(c) Has the number of products covered that can be used to satisfy the "buy local" policy
increased since 1995 or has it decreased over time?
The number of products that can be used to satisfy the policy of absorbing local production
has remained unchanged since 1995.
3. The implementing agency, as listed in Colomb ia's TRIMs notification, is the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development.  Is this statement still accurate?
It is still the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development that implements the policy of
absorbing domestic production.
(a) What responsibilities does this Ministry have generally?
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is responsible for formulating,
coordinating and adopting the policies, plans, programmes and projects of the agricultural, fisheries
and rural development sector, as laid dow n in Article 2 of Decree No. 2478 of 1999
1, in conjunction
                                                     
1 Decree No. 2479 of 1999, "Modifying the structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development and laying dow n other provisions."  It repealed Decree No. 1279 of 1994, but retained the
functions assigned by the latter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development .G/C/W/216
Page 5
with Articles 58 and 59 of Law No. 489 of 19992, for which purpose it must prepare draft laws, plans
or investment programmes and coordinate their implementation with other national and local bodies.
(b) What are their responsibilities with respec t to the TRIMs measures and the agriculture
sector?
The responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with respect to the
TRIMs measures derive from the authority conferred in paragraph 1 of Article 3 of Decree No.  2478
of 1999 to ensure the effective implementation of the provisions contained in Articles 64 to 66 of the
Constitution.
Other paragraphs of that Article provide guidance to the Ministry with regard to the
guarantees that the State should grant for the production and marketing of agricultural products:
paragraph 11 gives it the authority to "formulate, modify and promote measures, incentives and
inducements to (…) boost production and internal and external marketing in its fields of competence,
(…)";    paragraph 13 explicitly gives the authority to "regulate the domestic markets for agricultural
and fish products, determine the pricing policy for such products and their inputs when the marketsare considered not to be functioning properly and propose to the appropriate organizations the
adoption of measures or actions to correct distortions in the conditions of domestic competition or in
the markets for such products"  and, finally, paragraph 14 gives the Ministry the authority to
"formulate and adopt the sector's policy of protecting domestic production in conjunction with the
Ministry of Foreign Trade" .
(c) Are there any other GOC agencies or other entities or persons with responsibility for
implementing or otherwise supervising the measures identified in question 1?
In addition to the coordination envisaged with the Ministry of Foreign Trade with regard to
the policy of protecting domestic production, Article 3, paragraph 7 of Decree No. 2478 of 1999
requires the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to "harmonize the sector's policy with the
main lines of macroeconomic policy, acting in conjunction with the Ministries of Finance and Public
Credit, Economic Development, and Foreign Trade, the National Planning Department and the
Board of Management  of the Bank of the Republic" .
In addition to the coordination involved in policy evaluation and formulation, committees
have been set up to monitor production, marketing and imports in the production chains.  On the
Government side, these committees are made up of representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture
and Rural Development, Finance and Public Credit, Economic Development and Foreign Trade and
the National Planning Department, while the privat e sector is represented by the producers and
processors of agricultural products.
In operational terms, the Directorate-General of the Ministry of Foreign Trade is taking over
the functions carried out by the Colombian Institute for Foreign Trade (INCOMEX) until last March,
with a view to ensuring compliance with import requirements at registration and checking that each
application guarantees absorption of domestic production in accordance with the relevant regulations.
                                                     
2 Law No. 489 of 1999, "Containing regulations on the organization and operation of national bodies,
setting forth the general provisions, principles and ru les for exercising the powers provided in paragraphs 15
and 16 of Article 189 of the Constituti on, and laying down other provisions."G/C/W/216
Page 6
(d) What organization within your Government develops the agricultural policy criteria?
The development of Colombia's agricultural policy criteria is the responsibility of the
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in accordance with Article 2 of Decree No. 2478 of
1999, which reads as follows:
"ARTICLE 2.  Purpose.  The main functions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development are the formulation, coordination and adoption of the policies, plans,
programmes and projects of the agricultural, fisheries and rural development sector ."
(e) How is this policy developed?
In developing agricultural policy, the Mini stry of Agriculture and Rural Development
operates in accordance with the provisions of the Law on the Development Plan, which is
promulgated at the beginning of each administration in accordance with the provisions in the
Constitution.  Thus, when the situation so requires, governmental analyses are carried out under the
auspices of the National Council for Economic and Social Policy (CONPES) and the Higher Councilfor Foreign Trade (CSCE) which are collegiate bodies chaired by the President of the Republic and
made up of the ministers and administrative directors in the economic field.
The decisions reached are put into practice through the exercise of regulatory and executive
powers.  The regulatory function consists in issuing laws, decrees and resolutions of the Legislatureand the Executive, while the executive function involves the formulation of plans, projects and
programmes, allocating resources and assigning responsibility for their execution to the appropriate
bodies, which implement them in conjunction with other Government and private bodies.
(f) What other groups participate in the develo pment of this policy (e.g. local agriculture
companies)?
In compliance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Constitution, which establish Colombia as " a
democratic, participatory and pluralist Republic " and which require the State to " ( …) encourage the
participation of all in the decisions that affect them and in economic life ( … ) ", the formulation and
implementation of agricultural policy draws on the contributions of all those involved in the
production and trade that make up the various production chains and who are represented in nationalor regional associations.  It relies on various pub lic-private sector coordinating bodies formally set up
as committees and councils and, when the situation so requires, on the establishment of ad hoc
coordinating bodies including representatives of the public and private sectors that are needed to reach
a valid consensus.
4. Can these measures be eliminated cons istently with the Colombian political
Constitution?  If not, how can Colombia's tr ading partners have any confidence that the
transition will ever come to an end?
The absorption of domestic production as a requirement for access to imports is not an
objective in itself, but the legal measure through which Articles 64 and 65 of the  Constitution are
implemented.  When conditions in the domestic market are such as to guarantee the marketing of
agricultural goods and these can compete on an equa l footing with imports, the legal requirement will
be replaced by the market.G/C/W/216
Page 7
Basis for the extension request
5. The GOC's submission to the Council fo r Trade in Goods dated 1 December 1999
asserts that Colombia is having particular diffic ulties in eliminating the measure covered by its
extension request for several reasons.  The first is structural flaws in domestic marketing.Specifically, it is stated that this problem is due "to the previous very high level of state
intervention".
(a) What empirical evidence can be provided to show that the programme is working to
solve the structural problems outlined in your submission and that such problems will
not be alleviated until 31 December 2006?
The creation of modern market conditions is a cultural process that needs time.  The
absorption policy has favoured understanding and information flows between the representatives of
supply and demand who have designed mechanisms to agree prices for the purchase of agricultural
raw materials. This has enabled producers to dispose of their production as required.  However, the
extension and consolidation of modern market relations in those production chains with structuraldifficulties require further public and private efforts.
In some production chains, the absorption policy has made it worthwhile for the agro-industry
to supply itself with domestic raw materials, us ing the instruments provided by sectoral policy and
financial investment by the agro-industry.
One of the most prominent cases is the production chain of yellow maize – sorghum –
manioc – poultry-farming – pig-breeding, where thro ugh coordination and competitiveness it is hoped
that, with the help of a productivity package and technological assistance, by 2002 domestic
production will replace 40 per cent of current imports of yellow maize and produce 440,000 tonnes ofdry manioc under competitive conditions so as to meet part of the demand for raw materials for the
manufacture of animal feed.
The wet-milling maize industry is developing an agricultural contract project covering
3,000 hectares for the production of yellow maize in the Cauca Valley, with a view to meeting 50 per
cent of its requirements from domestic production by the end of three years.
Palm-oil producers and processors have established alliances among themselves and with
small producers with a view to strengthening the centres of production in the country and increasing
the exports of oil and its by-products.
The livestock and dairy industry is developing a competitiveness sectoral agreement that
seeks to raise the quality of its products, increase domestic milk production by 8 per cent each year,
raise annual per capita consumption from 137 to 170 litres and produce exports of at least
10,000 tonnes of powdered milk a year.
Other production chains (e.g. rice, beans, to bacco and brown sugar) are studying what they
need to do to improve their competitiveness, guar antee their market and increase their production.
Thus, the absorption policy is improving the efficiency of the producer organizations,
promoting direct links between producers and their customers, encouraging cooperation among
organizations at the grass-roots level and promotin g the introduction of new forms of social contract
and microeconomic organization within the framewor k of an increasingly internationally-oriented
economy.G/C/W/216
Page 8
Since this is a social process that requires commitments by the production chains themselves
and by the Government and the monitoring of the re sults by the Government with a view to creating
the conditions that will lead to the achievement of the objectives set, the formulation and
implementation of the strategy of competitiveness is only the beginning of the process and at the
present time few of the production chains have formulated a strategy and many still remain outsidethe process.
The slow pace of change may be largely due to the normal scepticism among farmers and the
agro-industry regarding the feasibility of creating new market conditions and regarding the stability of
the political conditions that would enable the proposed programmes to be implemented.  It also
indicates the social difficulties involved in making domestic production adjust to the new economic
framework.
(b) What changes have been undertaken to reduce Government intervention and increase
competitiveness?
Economic and social policies are the main factors employed in Colombia to reduce
Government intervention and increase competitiveness.
In the case of agriculture the sectoral policy seeks to include the rural sector within plans for
modernization and competition that will help to increase production so as to supply the domestic
market and increase the supply available for export, through genuine increases in productivity thatwill create employment and raise the level of income and the living conditions of the rural population.
This policy views the State as the facilitator of private activity, using methods that comply
with the country's international commitments so as to support the development of competition as
regards the production chain and with a view to building up larger units and promoting regionalspecialization.
The concept of a production chain means that the actors, mostly private enterprises, making
up each link of the production activity, should make the necessary efforts to strengthen the weak links
that may endanger the success of the whole chain.
The agricultural policy is made up of four basic elements:  (1) investment, capitalization and
financing;  (2) technological development;  (3) ma rketing as a means of promoting competitiveness;
and (4) rural development.  All these elements are included in the Agricultural Revival Programme
(PROAGRO), whose aim is to increase the production and improve the competitiveness of a number
of agricultural products and production chains that are in a position to win new markets, both at home
and abroad, and that have a significant impact on employment in that sector and on the standard ofliving of the rural population.
PROAGRO is not only the element that brings together the various measures of our
agricultural policy, but it is also the means by which the objectives of that policy are attained through
the joint action of the various actors in the production chains and the action of the local, departmentaland national bodies, in the following ways:
1. Coordination with the private sector :  PROAGRO is being implemented in close
consultation and coordination with the public and private sectors through the Competitiveness
Sectoral Agreements of the respective production chains.
2. Regionalization :  PROAGRO is being carried out on a decentralized basis in the regions that
have greatest advantages in the production of a specific product covered by the programme.   To that
end, action is being taken to set up regional councils for the competitiveness agreements, in whichG/C/W/216
Page 9
those making up the respective production chains will coordinate their activities so as to increase
production, improve competitiveness and promote specialization in the products of the region.
3. Modernization :  PROAGRO promotes activities and measures to modernize production and
marketing by the production chains and encourages technological innovation.
4. Fulfilment of commitments :  The success of PROAGRO depends on the seriousness with
which those making up the production chains, the representatives of the associations and the State
assume their responsibilities.  Accordingly, all thos e involved in the production chains, including the
national Government, undertake commitments within the framework of the National and Regional
Councils of the Sectoral Competitiveness Agreements.
(c) Describe the "largely unfavourable macroeconomic situation"
The unfavourable economic situation referred to in the request for an extension submitted by
Colombia on 1 December last year (document G/V/W/169) is reflected in the revaluation of the
national currency against the dollar, together with interest rates in the domestic market that are muchhigher than those in the international market and high  levels of inflation.  Thus, the effect of the tariff
reduction in favour of imported goods will be increased by the revaluation of the peso, high domestic
inflation and the high cost of borrowing.
6. What steps have the relevant industry and the GOC undertaken to begin the transition
to a system that did not rely on TRIMs?
(a) What types of liberalization adjustments were or were not completed?
The trade policy applied to Colombian agriculture since 1991 is open and seeks to bring about
the integration of domestic production and enable it to compete on an equal footing with foreign
goods in both the domestic and international markets.
Accordingly, the basic ad valorem  tariffs applicable to the imports of agricultural goods have
been reduced from levels of between 45 and 65 per cent to a maximum of 20 per cent;  the
administration of imports through import licenc ing and IDEMA's monopoly control of imports has
been replaced by a free import regime;  support prices, which were calculated on the basis ofestimated domestic production costs and which were  the prices at which local production was
acquired by the IDEMA, have been replaced by minimum guaranteed prices, which are calculated on
the basis of international prices and, with the abolition of the IDEMA, only constitute a reference
point of the cost of admitting imported goods into the domestic market.
The changes that have taken place in agricultural policy have highlighted the difficulties
involved in marketing domestic production and, in order to overcome them, the national Government,
as part of its agricultural policy, has promoted a serious strategy of coordination directed towards
establishing direct market relations between agricultural producers and the processing industries,
initially within the framework of the committees monitoring production, imports and the marketing ofagricultural goods and, once the productivity and co mpetitiveness strategy has been initiated, in the
framework of the sectoral competitiveness agreements of each of the production chains.
The results have included the conclusion of sectoral competitiveness agreements for the
chains of yellow maize – sorghum – manioc – poultry farming – pig breeding, dairy products,oilseeds, rice, cotton – textiles – clothing, etc., in  which measures are being promoted to strengthen
domestic production in the face of international competition, leading to achievements such as those
mentioned in the reply to question 5(a).G/C/W/216
Page 10
(b) Did the GOC conduct discussions with the private sector and with labour organizations
at that time and even well before the comple tion of the Uruguay Round to inform them
that these policies would be eliminated in 2000?
Colombian society was informed in due time of the transitional nature of the trade-related
investment measures.  Thus, in response to the right to information and the duty to encourage the
participation of all in the decisions that affect them and in economic life, enshrined in the
Constitution, the Government of Colombia kept so ciety fully informed of the development of the
Uruguay Round, of the positions and commitments that the country would be adopting and the
significance of each of the agreements that would be annexed to the Final Act.
(c) What kind of domestic consultation process concerning TRIMs has been conducted over
the past five years?
During the last five years continuous contacts have been maintained between the Government
bodies concerned with TRIMs and between these bodies and the representatives of the agricultural
producers and the agro-industries, within the framework of the public-private sector coordinatingbodies referred to in the answer to question 3(f).
At the governmental level, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Foreign
Trade, Finance and Public Credit, and the National Planning Department have carried out periodic
assessments of the application of the absorption policy, and the Higher Council for Foreign Trade hasalso been involved in  this area, either through th e initiative of its members or as a result of the
approaches suggested by the private sector to the Government.  The outcome of such assessments has
been communicated at the proper time to the private sector.  In addition, the private sector has been
urged to carry out assessments on this subject with in its own bodies and to make its own suggestions
to the Government.
(d) What administrative or legislative steps have which offices and officials explored with
which industry and labour groups?
As explained in response to the previous question, during the last five years there has been
constant communication between the public and private sectors within the framework of bodies
specially set up for that purpose and in coordinating bodies created for the specific purpose ofexamining the application of the absorption policy.
The formal structures for the examination of this policy with the private sector have been the
committees which monitor the domestic production, imports and marketing of each of the production
chains, and which are made up of representatives of the relevant Government bodies andrepresentatives of farmers and agro-industries.
In addition, the allocation of the imports of agricultural goods subject to the absorption policy
is information that is openly available to the public through an application submitted to the Ministry
of Foreign Trade, which, as has been stated, has taken on the functions of verifying and monitoringthe import requirements.
(e) Are there legislative or administrative drafts regarding removal of the GOC
agricultural TRIMs that were submitted for consideration over the past five years.
The conditions involved in the production and marketing of agricultural goods subject to the
absorption policy during the last five years have not mad it feasible to consider removing the
absorption policy, owing to the harmful effect that  such a measure would have on the performance ofG/C/W/216
Page 11
the sector in terms of the productive resources - mainly the agricultural workers - employed in those
activities.
(f) What plans exist for adjusting to the elimination of such TRIMs if no extension is
granted?
At the moment no such plan exists, since it is hoped that the extension requested will be
approved on the basis of the evaluation to be carried out by the Council for Trade in Goods on the
current conditions of Colombian agriculture.  As stated in the document submitted by Colombia on
1 December 1999 and again in this document, time is needed to build up modern and sustainable
market relationships between the agricultural producers and the agro-industry, since this is an
economic process that involves changes in the traditional culture of trade.
(g) What would the process be for chan ging the local content requirements
(i.e. administrative changes, legislative changes)?
The local content requirements will be altered or eliminated after the completion of the stages
of evaluating the various production chains and their links and the introduction of the strategies for
making them economically competitive and sustainable.  When that has been done, the legal
requirement on domestic content will not be necessary and can be abolished through an administrative
act by the Executive.
However, this implies the existence of market conditions that guarantee the absorption of
domestic production and assumes that the production chains and their links will have reached levels of
productivity and competitiveness in line with those prevailing on the world market.
(h) How quickly could such changes be conducted?
As has already been stated, the changes required to modify the domestic content requirement
are economic and social.  The former involve reaching levels of productivity and competitiveness in
line with those in the world market.  The social changes involve the strengthening of modern market
relationships which, in addition to institutionalizing at the social level the direct links between
agricultural producers and the processing industries, will help production to adjust to changing
scenarios, so that in the event of a specific product requiring reconversion or being forced out of themarket altogether this will take place without traumatic social consequences.
7. Another issue that the Council has been asked to take into account is the issue of the
eradication of illegal crops.  Please provide supporting evidence that such a programme has
been successful in pushing individuals "tow ards economically viable and competitive
agricultural activities".
The eradication of illegal crops requires joint action by the international community, in which
Colombia has fully demonstrated its leadership.  Thus, the police action directed towards suppressing
and eliminating the cultivation of illegal crops has been accompanied by the creation of the necessaryconditions for private investment to return to th e countryside and to strengthen those agricultural
activities that are able to compete with foreign products, so that such activities can create new and
better sources of employment and legal income and can attract the workers employed in the
cultivation of illegal crops.
Thus, the strengthening of the chains of yellow maize - sorghum - manioc, poultry farming –
pig-breeding, dairy products and palm oil, together  with the advances being made in other production
chains, provide the economic basis for the eradication of illegal crops.G/C/W/216
Page 12
8. Has the GOC considered other non-TRIMs options that would address some of your
concerns, but would allow for the elimination of your TRIMs regime as it currently exists?  For
example, have programmes that would focus on converting agricultural workers to participate
in other sectors of the economy been explored?
The Government of Colombia is fully aware that the absorption policy is a transitional
arrangement and as such constitutes one of the elements of the agricultural policy through which the
sector is adjusting to the conditions of international competition in an open and increasingly
internationalized economy.  Consequently, the reallocation of productive resources, principally
labour, towards other productive activities is an inevitable economic consequence.
However, the other sectors of the economy do not have the capacity to absorb the labour shed
by agriculture in the event of the immediate elimin ation of the agricultural TRIMs, so that such a
move would not only exacerbate social conflicts, but would also produce adverse effects on those
sectors having viable competitive production and on aggregate demand.
The option that the Government has chosen is, firstly, to reconvert those agricultural activities
that show little capacity for adjusting to extern al competition and, secondly, to create the conditions
needed to bring private investment back to the countryside and to strengthen the production of those
goods that are clearly able to compete with imports.
9. Has Colombia analysed the effect on its economy and employment, particularly in the
food processing and value-added sectors, of these import restrictions?
One of the consequences of economic liberalization has been to begin the transition from a
form of agricultural production mainly based on primary products to an agricultural processing
industry and the development of some agricultural sectors with high added value.
As was stated in document G/C/W/169 of 1 December 1999, since the opening up of the
economy began there has been a marked stagnation in the value of agricultural production and a fall in
its contribution to the GDP, while agro-industrial production has continued to show growth rates
similar to those of the economy as a whole.  The agro-industry currently represents 53 per cent of the
output of manufacturing industry and 10 per cent of the total GDP.
The dynamism of the agro-industry makes it a key subsector of primary production so long as
the latter can adjust to the price and quality conditions that prevail in the international market, since
these conditions in there turn are a necessary prerequisite for achieving higher levels of
competitiveness in agro-industrial production.
In fact, international experience indicates that economies with competitive agro-industries
have stable supplies of raw materials from nearby sources.  Consequently, efforts are being made to
reduce to the minimum the transport costs of raw materials and the harmful effects that wide
fluctuations in the supply and international prices of such materials have on the production, costs and
competitiveness of processed goods.
Consequently, Colombian agricultural policy is seeking to find a healthy balance between the
liberalization and internationalization of the economy and the necessary, though transitional
protection of domestic production, so that the latter will adjust to the conditions of a globalized
market in which competition involves products with an increasingly high added value that are directedtowards satisfying the demand of the domestic and regional markets.G/C/W/216
Page 13
10. Has Colombia evaluated less trade-distorting measures to achieve its rural economic
development goals, such as increasing extension services and expanding infrastructure?
Although the absorption of domestic production, as a condition for having access to imports
of agricultural goods, is a vital element of the marketing strategy and forms a necessary and integral
part of the agricultural policy, it is only one of its elements.
As stated in the reply to question 5(b), the agricultural policy consists of four basic elements:
(1) investment, capitalization and financing;  (2) technological development;  (3) marketing as a
means of promoting competitiveness;  and (4) rural development.
In the field of science and technology, efforts are being made to enhance generation, transfer,
technical assistance and technology adoption operations to ensure that technological development hasan impact on the sectoral productivity.  This policy is being carried out through participatory models
providing guidance, information, project financing and the training of human resources in regional
and national centres, while the financing is based on a general and transparent relevance and quality
assessment model.
As far as the physical infrastructure is concerned, the aim of Government policy is to create
conditions that will raise productivity and efficiency by stimulating investment in irrigation and
drainage through small- and large-scale improvement projects, involving the continuing participation
and involvement of the users in the identification, design, construction and management of the
projects.
Statistics
11. The 1 December submission notes that the land area devoted to agriculture decreased by
782,000 hectares.
(a) What was total number of hectares that were devoted to agriculture in 1990?
Annex 1 reveals that in 1990 the total area devoted to agriculture amounted to
6,116,355 hectares and, excluding the cultivation of coffee, to 5,095,055 hectares.  By 1997 the
overall total had fallen to 4,901,528 hectares and 4,032,328 hectares respectively, showing a total
reduction of 1,214,827 hectares, which is the net result of 1,269,367 hectares devoted to seasonalcrops being taken out of production, a reduction of 152,100 hectares devoted to the cultivation of
coffee and an increase of 206,640 hectares for permanent crops.
It is also clear from Annex 1 that the seasonal crops were the most affected by the change in
the trade policy, since the area devoted to those crops fell by average annual rate of 5.5 per cent, whilethe area devoted to the coffee crop fell by 3 per cent and that used for permanent crops increased at an
average annual rate of over 2 per cent.
Consequently, the proportion of seasonal crops in Colombian agriculture fell by
10 percentage points between 1990 and 1997.
(b) What are the causes of this reduction?
The reduction of the cultivated area between 1990 and 1997 reflected the change in relative
prices, which was unfavourable to domestic products, and led to domestic prices being based oninternational prices and, consequently, substantially lower as compared with those prevailing prior to
trade liberalization.  This situation reduced the profit ability of agricultural activities and thus led to a
fall in the investment in such activities.  The impact was greatest on the seasonal crops since, owing toG/C/W/216
Page 14
their short cycle (four to six months), the re-allocation of the investment and of the area devoted to
them takes place at the end of the cycle, which is not the case with the permanent crops, whose cycle
generally exceeds ten years.
In actual fact, the reduction of tariffs and the raising of non-tariff barriers, which occurred at
the beginning at the 1990s, changed the relative prices of agricultural goods, operating in favour of
the purchase of imported goods, whose international prices are affected by the existence of subsidies,
and against the purchase of domestic products, which were deprived of the assistance resulting from
the previously existing border protection.
That effect was magnified by the concurrent trade liberalization with the fall in the
international prices of the main raw materials that occurred between 1991 and 1992, and with therevaluation of the Colombian peso against the dollar and other generally unfavourable microeconomic
conditions, as was indicated in the reply to question 5(c).
Consequently, the increased demand for agricultural raw materials by the agro-industry so as
to satisfy domestic demand and the export demand for processed goods gave rise to a substantialincrease in the imports of such products and the displacement of their cultivation.
12. What is the country of origin, broken out by  product, for the imported products listed in
the tables found in your supplementary submission?  Also, provide similar information for
exports of agricultural products from Colombia (e.g. products, quantities and destinations).
Annexes 2 and 3 show the origins and destinations of the imports and exports, respectively, of
the agricultural goods subject to the domestic production absorption policy.
Other TRIMs
13. What is the status of the automotive TRIM notified by the GOC?
The measure notified by the Government of  Colombia in Document G/TRIMS/N/1/COL/1
has been abolished and thus no longer applies.G/C/W/216
Page 15ANNEX 1
COLOMBIA:  VARIATIONS IN THE AREA DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE 1990-1997
CULTIVATED AREA (ha) SHARE / TOTAL  (%) SHARE/TOT. WITHOUT
COFFEE (%)
YEAR Seasonal Permanent Coffee TOTAL WITHOUT
COFFEESeasonal Permanent Coffee Seasonal Permanent
1990
1991199219931994
1995
199619973,853,530
3,608,4903,185,5063,122,7453,177,424
2,966,427
2,687,1822,584,1631,241,525
1,253,5721,329,3941,411,0131,404,274
1,433,279
1,472,4101,448,1651,021,300
1,013,000
991,000968,100939,500
899,200
883,500869,2006,116,355
5,875,0625,505,9005,501,8585,521,198
5,298,906
5,043,0924,901,5285,095,055
4,862,0624,514,9004,533,7584,581,698
4,399,706
4,159,5924,032,32863.0
61.457.956.857.5
56.0
53.352.720.3
21.324.125.625.4
27.0
29.229.516.7
17.218.017.617.0
17.0
17.517.775.6
74.270.668.969.4
67.4
64.664.124.4
25.829.431.130.6
32.6
35.435.9
ANNUAL ABSOLUTE VARIATION (ha) ANNUAL PERCENTAGE VARIATION (%)
YEAR Seasonal Permanent Coffee TOTAL WITHOUT
COFFEESeasonal Permanent Coffee TOTAL WITHOUT
COFFEE
1991
19921993199419951996
1997-245,040
-422,984
-62,761
54,679
-210,997-279,245
-103,01912,047
75,82281,619
-6,739
29,00539,131
-24,245-8,300
-22,000-22,900-28,600-40,300-15,700
-14,300-241,293
-369,162
-4,042
19,340
-222,292-255,814
-141,564-232,993
-347,162
18,85847,940
-181,992-240,114
-127,264-6.4
-11.7
-2.0
1.8
-6.6-9.4
-3.81.0
6.06.1
-0.5
2.12.7
-1.6-0.8
-2.2-2.3-3.0-4.3-1.7
-1.6-3.9
-6.3-0.1
0.4
-4.0-4.8
-2.8-4.6
-7.1
0.41.1
-4.0-5.5
-3.1
ABSOLUTE VARIATION 95-96/90-91 (ha) AVERAGE ANNUAL VARIATION (%)
Period Seasonal Permanent Coffee TOTAL WITHOUT
COFFEESeasonal Permanent Coffee TOTAL WITHOUT
COFFEE
95-9096-90
97-90
95-91
96-9197-91-887,103
-1,166,348
-1,269,367
-642,063
-921,308
-1,024,327191,754
230,885
206,640
179,707
218,838194,593-122,100
-137,800
-152,100
-113,800
-129,500-143,800-817,449
-1,073,263
-1,214,827
-576,156
-831,970-973,534-695,349
-935,463
-1,062,727
-462,356
-702,470-829,734-5.1
-5.8
-5.5
-4.8
-5.7-5.42.9
2.9
2.2
3.4
3.32.4-2.5
-2.4
-2.3
-2.9
-2.7-2.5-2.8
-3.2
-3.1
-2.5
-3.0-3.0-2.9
-3.3
-3.3
-2.5
-3.1-3.1G/C/W/216
Page 16
ANNEX  2
ORIGIN OF THE IMPORTS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
SUBJECT TO THE ABSORPTION POLICY
VOLUME IMPORTED (metric tonnes)
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Total 0207
Poultry meat2,020 7,471 10,782 9,964 10,983 13,777 12,099 6,046
United States 1,780 5,050 6,095 2,958 4,257 2,801 2,868 4,138
Venezuela 72 1,861 4,404 6,305 5,231 10,737 8,461 1,056
Ecuador 6 232 45 91 608 753
Brazil 0 44 34 97
Canada 21 13 2
Peru 1
Chile 157 659 1,494 84 94 0
Costa Rica 135 44 0 0 0
Panama 27 169 0 0
Germany 0
Netherlands Antilles 1
Colombia (Free Zone) 0.03
Denmark 2
Spain 91 0
France 0 1
Hungary 1
Italy 14
Miscellaneous 40 0
United Kingdom 31
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines 67
Free Zone of Bogota 19
Total 1001
Wheat and meslin642,616 773,690 854,850 849,457 963,625 983,254 1,013,766 1,110,686
Canada 163,721 426,270 343,225 128,740 141,686 189,205 19,900 632,267
United States 478,896 173,053 386,435 593,709 811,587 764,799 934,454 478,388
Ecuador 23 2
Mexico 0 0 0
Saudi Arabia 39,040
Argentina 174,360 70,050 7,019 28,400
Australia 45,308 2,742
Bermuda
Denmark 0
France 0 27,490
Netherlands 7,650 43,479 590 20,750
Italy 0
Miscellaneous 8,450 500
Panama 1 0
Peru 8,499 7,500
Switzerland 10,230 23,510
Venezuela 5 0
Total 1003
Barley72,160 112,377 159,342 193,117 174,532 263,492 205,799 181,027
France 52,309 25,200 68,190 22,800 0.1 65,625G/C/W/216
Page 17
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Denmark 39,410
Sweden 26,250
Australia 31,700 0.02 0.05 24,900
New Zealand 24,835
Canada 46,960 60,068 20,378 26,007 106,309 120,636 7
Ecuador 1 1 0 0
Germany 25,200 24,800 135,398 120,055 205,799
Bermuda
Chile
United States           817
6        0.1
MexicoPanama 4 80
Switzerland 38,370
Uruguay 50,593
Total 1005
Maize8,043 505,621 569,751 1,043,524 1,140,903 1,698,219 1,725,088 2,010,051
United States 1,304 475,229 426,140 911,953 1,021,341 1,511,292 1,526,623 1,339,403
Argentina 83,198 25,003 9,400 54,568 31,729 450,814
Mexico 0.1 0.4 0.5 2 19.2 502.2 129,417
Venezuela 236 3,190 686 2,963 56,220 23,023 5,694 67,229
Ecuador 5,828 26,756 59,257 42,349 50,915 93,959 144,507 22,511
Brazil 0 0 0 162 22 128 279 385
Canada 675 445 469 1,577 2,981 2,826 1,879 128
Montserrat 94
Antigua and Barbuda 21 63
Guatemala 0 3 4
Peru 073
Thailand 0 0 0 1 0 0 0
Spain 0
Germany 0
Bermuda
Bolivia 12,210 13,822
Chile 22
China 9,000
Costa Rica 0
Guinea 570
Honduras 0
Israel 0
New Zealand 134
Panama 1 22 39
United Kingdom 0
Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 0
South Africa 49,905
Tunisia 40
Pacific Free Zone 20
Total 1006
Rice (paddy)366 116,654 100,879 409,604 213,191 231,893 276,650 465,408
United States 173 14,205 17 92,645 30,815 28,289 34,551 303,582
Ecuador 192 316 100,880 68,697 187,433 198,565 121,093
Venezuela 75,583 100,523 62,456 104,246 15,469 34,722 37,961
Bolivia 1,270
Peru 22 3,173 399 431 825 791
Guyana 7,396 554G/C/W/216
Page 18
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Dominica 63
Brazil 27 6 27 52 56
Australia 26
Italy 05
Panama 1 7,891 91 4 4
Japan 0 2 1
China 1
Philippines 0
Denmark 1,930 0
Mexico 0
Argentina 0
Botswana 150
Colombia (Free Zone) 3 65 0 0
Cuba 0.3
Spain 189
France 0.1 34,511.5
Ghana 536
Netherlands
India (incl. Kashmir, 
Jammu and Sik)0.0155,500
United Kingdom 2 0 0.13
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines38
Switzerland 21,053 21,833
Thailand 8,772 0
Vietnam 26,316 8,772
Miscellaneous 2,439 1
Malt incl.  roasted 18,115 600 5,467 28,944 33,121 36,226 15,230
Czech Re public 200 8,808
France 8,000 1,059 3,004 6,000 3,200
Canada 400 7,974 18,181 23,950 3,015
United Kingdom 1,042 45 180
United States 9,615 2,008 14,924 4 24
Chile 4
Germany 0 2,000 6,000 6,007
Australia 0
Belgium 2,000 2,940 5,993
Ecuador 500 600
Miscellaneous 28
Total 1108
Starches1,782 6,719 5,589 12,078 12,929 11,088 8,090 7,168
Netherlands 0.3 20 142 571 416 1,111 2,786
Brazil 2,762 840 884 5,620 504 380 1,760
Mexico 595 3,168 5,792 4,304 8,036 5,105 1,157
Germany 195 163 1 0 3 3 552
Belgium 5 0 403
France 10 236 140 817 59 70 175
Denmark 30 894 252 126
Miscellaneous 120
Ecuador 27 66 109 153 358 51
United States 1,772 796 1,192 2,494 1,027 224 119 36
Peru 4 0 3 1 1
Venezuela 2,048 0 0 1,292 1,282 0
Canada 0G/C/W/216
Page 19
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Colombia (Free Zone) 0
Greece 0
Italy 0 20
Panama 0
United Kingdom 0 0 0 0 0
Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 0
Switzerland 0.03 0 0 0
Thailand 1,800 300
North Yemen 60
Total 1109
Wheat  gluten1 45 50 145 166 191 356 210
Netherlands 40 140 120 160 298 160
Belgium 82 5
United States 0.3 10 5 1 6 5 21
United Kingdom 5 5 5 4
Germany 20
Argentina 1
Australia 20 20 20
Brazil 0
Canada 0
Pakistan 20
Venezuela 45
Total 1201
Soya beans69,095 118,251 150,982 158,319 128,847 245,598 214,779 164,491
Bolivia 69,095 81,600 83,055 89,974 104,828 22,974 19,111 79,907
United States
ArgentinaBrazil20,151 65,213 58,032
0.0323,105 222,000 148,145
3,947
21,19576,908
2,6252,160
Peru 1,575
Venezuela       451      35       227     1,187     707
Ecuador 2,263 7,380 879 396 609
Spain 2,000
Mongolia 718
Panama 15
Paraguay 2,200
Uruguay 14,500 21,195
Total 1205
Rape-seeds2 8 7 2 62 63 73 9
United States 2 2 7 26 26 35 30
Canada 6 2 9
Total 1206
Sunflowerseeds3 5 13 87 48 41 49 96
United States 3 5 13 42 46 40 46 84
Canada 21 2
I s r a e l 0000
Bolivia
Spain 0 0
Panama 45 1
Total 1207
Other oil seeds3,163 675 1,910 2,643 753 3,356 2,911 4,350
Venezuela 2,827 495 1,366 1,791 369 3,175 1,862 4,082G/C/W/216
Page 20
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Mexico 1 18 861 163
Canada 20 44 81 41 99 60 75 53
Guatemala 2 3 18
Hungary 2
Côte d'Ivoire 2
Costa Rica 1 2 651 0 1 2 1
Benin 0 1
Brazil 1 0 1
Congo 0
Italy 00
Spain 0 1 0
Papua New Guinea 0 1 3 0
Germany 0 1 3 2 3
Australia 0 0
Bolivia 0
Colombia (Free Zone) 0
Ecuador 20 75 296 167
F r a n c e 1001 023
Netherlands 0
Israel 0 0
Japan 12
Nicaragua 0
Miscellaneous 1
Panama 28 2
Peru 20 0
United Kingdom 11 0
Singapore 6
Thailand 1
Turkey 0 18
Zaire 0
Total 1208
Flours of oil-seeds32,127 90,864 81,992 74,543 72,117 101,779 84,301
Venezuela 15,387 60,018 53,570 60,830 66,711 92,023 75,366
United States 110 0 0 0 1,700 8,682
Bolivia 14,517 23,162 28,320 13,673 5,285 8,020 178
Brazil
Turkmenistan16 21 36 42
33
ItalyMexico00
0
Anguilla 40
Chile 769 50
Miscellaneous 1,344
Tunisia 46 35
Uruguay 7,684
Vietnam 40
Yugoslavia 16
Total 1502
Fats of bovine animals41,902 40,818 32,768 23,723 16,201 47,081 33,500 57,931
United States 41,902 40,818 32,648 20,124 16,201 47,081 33,500 56,733
Canada 1,198
Colombia (Free Zone) 3,599
France 0
Venezuela 90G/C/W/216
Page 21
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Total 1503
Lard stearin91 1 8 4 1 0 5 1 0
United States 9 8 8 4 10 5 10
Spain 3
Total 1506
Other animal fats and
oils13,543 13,049 17,999 20,937 16,556 9,343 12,096 3,377
United Kingdom 0 0 3,001
Venezuela 0 326
United States 13,543 13,048 17,999 20,936 16,554 9,342 7,520 34
Netherlands 15
Ecuador 1 1 1
Switzerland 0 0 0 0 0
Germany 0 0 1 1 0 0
Miscellaneous 0 0
Belgium 0 1
Canada 1 1
France 0
Israel 997
Italy 3,577
Japan 0 0 0
Total 1507
Soya bean oil20,219 38,948 78,256 63,643 92,538 110,048 94,286 138,822
Bolivia 6,391 6,787 1,870 10,186 18,744 25,116 30,468 57,038
Argentina 7,271 29,176 64,364 13,804 3,300 4,900 4,339 46,701
United States 2,517 412 6 7,010 20,882 19,809 17,897 30,485
Brazil 715 35 2,996 279 59 150 166 3,688
Ecuador 700 3,178 785 745 966 806
Uruguay 3,325 2,489 7,060 24,835 46,562 49,467 36,165 100
Peru 3
Canada 177 0 0
Germany 2
Belgium 0
Cayman Islands 500
China 1
Colombia (Free Zone) 650 0
Denmark 0
Spain 50 0
France 21
Netherlands 880 9,800 3,764
Italy 0
Jamaica 1,261
Miscellaneous 3,600 1
Panama 48
Switzerland
Venezuela1,083
      50        65        61      0
Total 1511
Palm oil16,392 0 25,963 6,697 797 9,250 121 115
Ecuador 1,500 11,465 2,765 797 250 114 101
Peru 6,991 3 7 14
Venezuela 204 0 0 0 0 0
Brazil 10
Belgium 0 0
Colombia (Free Zone) 0G/C/W/216
Page 22
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Spain 0
United States
Indonesia7,387
3110
   6,5001,449 2,800 0
Malaysia (incl. Lebuan 
Island)5,992
Miscellaneous 0
Dominican Republic 488
Singapore 2,006 1,994 6,195
Total 1512
Sunflowerseed oil5,642 5,555 10,864 14,934 22,907 27,119 31,177 32,243
Argentina 648 5,554 10,800 7,237 1,683 8,909 4,975 22,795
United States 20 0 0 4 6,269 2,671 6,042 7,647
Bolivia 38 18 1,525 328 299 1,801
Spain 00
Ecuador 0
Chile 0 0 5
France 0 20
Guatemala 0
Netherlands 268 2,400 5,104
Malaysia (incl. Lebuan 
Island)384
Mexico 0
Miscellaneous 3,100 0
Peru 0
Switzerland 1,575
Uruguay 4,557 3,000 13,088 12,500 14,736
Venezuela 32 26 0 74 305
Total 1513
Coconut or palm kernel
oil4,309 2 4 148 8 62 369 5
U n i t e d  S t a t e s 4 , 2 8 9211 4 6 1 3 64
Germany 0 0 0 1
Argentina 4 0
B r a z i l 131 10
Ecuador 20 147 0
Netherlands 300
Peru 0
Venezuela 0 0 33
Total 1514
Rape oil10 0 1 0
United Kingdom 0
Mexico 0
Austria 1 0 0
Colombia (Free Zone) 0
Sweden 0
Total 1515
Other vegetable fats
and oils2,690 1,955 1,728 2,632 1,565 2,368 1,977 1,950
United States 1,217 270 476 589 544 664 510 731
Ecuador 530 200 207 349 377 431 488 196
Argentina 430 1,082 795 1,281 370 1,066 702 458
Paraguay 126 146 185 204 238 119 182 136
United Kingdom
Liberia0 0 13 2 0 5 40 100
20G/C/W/216
Page 23
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
B r a z i l 11 1 90 55 4
G e r m a n y 2 1 335 65 3 42
F r a n c e 0000 1001
Venezuela 63 56 30 42 5 50 5 1
Spain 0 0 0 0
C h i l e 0000 00
Japan 0 0 0 0 0
Peru 0 0 0 0
S w i t z e r l a n d 0000 0000
Canada 0 0
Belgium 0
Bolivia 0
China 4 6 5
Colombia (Free Zone)
Hong Kong150
30
120
160
India (incl. Kashmir, 
Jammu and Sik)00
Italy 0 0 0
Mexico 0 1 0 15
Miscellaneous 0 0 0
Panama 11 0
Puerto Rico 162
Dominican Republic 0
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines 14
Uruguay 320
Total 1516
Animal or vegetable fats
and oils83 160 388 3,662 1,024 771 912 1,385
Ecuador 317 3,349 743 540 571 859
Netherlands 0 40 80 80 132
Brazil 1 218 149 119 100 112
United States 75 75 56 64 65 24 76 95
Singapore 07 6
Chile 1 30 75
Dominican Republic 16
Germany 9 53 3 7 16 7 2 7
Venezuela 8 3 0 0 0 6
Mexico 164
Hong Kong 2
Italy 0000
Peru 04 6 0
Spain 00
Argentina 0
France 0 0
Barbados 0
Canada 19 8 8 0
Colombia (Free Zone) 0
Côte d'Ivoire 0
Denmark 0 0
Slovenia 0
Japan 0 0 0
Miscellaneous 4 22
United Kingdom 0 0 0 0 0 0 0G/C/W/216
Page 24
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Sweden 1 2
Switzerland 0 0 0 0
Total 2309
Preparations for animal
feeding9,971 2,362 8,207 7,146 10,152 12,459 15,427 14,674
United States 8,874 390 414 562 1,356 2,989 4,514 4,778
Venezuela 42 111 3,197 1,084 1,271 1,195 1,237 2,312
Peru 455 267 1,192 1,600 1,430 3,660 4,722 2,817
Netherlands
Mexico8
1894 100 317
3261,235
2061,155
961,507
1321,435
934
Spain 120 156 102 251 335 244 580 790
Ecuador 120 760 2,513 1,696 2,531 1,736 834 366
France 56 138 127 92 213 122 134 92
Brazil 15 119 320 62 76 57 89
Canada 52 0 595 150 0 75
G e r m a n y 2 62 98 18 3 8 56 17 16 6
Thailand 25 62
Belgium 26 12 2 91 46 11 45 62
Switzerland 28 55 94 118 72 27 67 55
Republic of Moldova 39
Argentina 8 2 34
J a p a n 1 0 1 0 1 61 52 52 0
Italy 20 77 17 0 11 16
United Kingdom 6 6 9 26 21 0 2 11
Norway 46 113 119 56 42 30 30 10
Miscellaneous 24 61 23 2 1 5
Bulgaria
Chile05
Costa Rica 1
Cuba 3
Denmark 4
Slovenia 13 2 10
Honduras 0
New Caledonia 5
Panama 21 32 25 34 51 35 2
Portugal 3
Puerto Rico 2 459 581 843 1,429
Saint Vincent and the 
Grenadines 8
Sweden 0
Trinidad and Tobago 1
Virgin Islands 10
Wake Islands 3
Yugoslavia 89 24 11
Total 3823
Industrial
monocarboxylic acids3,779 2,016 3,086 4,514 4,897 3,920 4,269 4,024
United States 3,569 1,709 2,720 4,189 4,341 3,248 3,952 3,730
Germany 82 54 77 113 132 143 156 163
India (incl. Kashmir, 
Jammu and Sik)73 58 69
I n d o n e s i a 2 31 11 22 4
V e n e z u e l a 5 17 19 04 1 0 31 9
Mexico 4 8 5 34 8G/C/W/216
Page 25
COUNTRY 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Belgium 20 11 25 1 12 5 0 7
United Kingdom 1 53 47 40 132 32 3 1
Spain 0 0 0 1 1
Peru 141 85 16 1
Switzerland 0 0 0 1
Canada 0 0 1 0 0
Italy 0 0 0 0 0 0
France 0 0 0
Argentina 7 0
Australia 32 10
Barbados 0
B r a z i l 4 83 03 03 1 3 12 6 0
Denmark 15 11 0
Ecuador 0 200
Egypt 8
United Arab Republics 0
Netherlands 64 96 63 67 71 28
Miscellaneous 2
Panama 10 0 3
Puerto Rico
Virgin Islands10
2G/C/W/216
Page 26ANNEX 3
COLOMBIAN EXPORTS OF GOODS SUBJECT TO THE COUNTERSIGNATURE MECHANISM
NANDINA DESCRIPTION DESTINATION US$
FOB 1999TONS/1999
1102200000 Maize (corn) flour BELGIUM 10,824 6.8
1102200000 Maize (corn) flour UNITED STATES 351,743 531.1
1102200000 Maize (corn) flour PANAMA 69,799 109.6
1107200000 Malt, roasted ECUADOR 4,684,519 15381.8
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch COSTA RICA 141,403 547.3
1108120000 Maize (corn)  starch ECUADOR 2,016,932 8010.4
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch EL SALVADOR 5,320 19.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch GUATEMALA 89,680 323.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch HONG KONG, CHINA 294,025 1197.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch JAMAICA 110,753 444.2
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch PANAMA 132,083 507.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 11,710 45.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch RUSSIAN FEDERATION 13,965 57.0
1108120000 Maize (corn) starch TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 93,745 352.0
1108190000 Other star ches ECUADOR 40,838 47.2
1108190000 Other starches SPAIN 5,170 1.9
1108190000 Other starches UNITED STATES 18,383 16.4
1207999000 Other oil seeds and oleaginous fruits,
whether or not brokenECUADOR 140,967 0.5
1502009000 Other fats of bovine animals, sheep or
goats, other than those of heading no.15.03SPAIN 19,170 18.0
1503000000 Lard stearin, lard oil, oleastearin, oleo-oil
and tallow-oil.VENEZUELA 26,496 15.2G/C/W/216
Page 27NANDINA DESCRIPTION DESTINATION US$
FOB 1999TONS/1999
1507100000 Crude soya-bean oil, whether or not
de-gummedECUADOR 505,300 1028.0
1507100000 Crude soya-bean oil, whether or not
de-gummedCARTAGENA FREE ZONE 7,284 9.2
1507900090 Other soya-bean oil and its fractions,
whether or not refined, but not chemicallymodifiedCARTAGENA FREE ZONE 42,943 47.2
1511100000 Crude palm oil BELGIUM 1,427,015 3085.9
1511100000 Crude palm  oil HONDUR AS 1,125,104 2500.2
1511100000 Crude palm oil ITALY 29,863 42.4
1511100000 Crude palm oil JAMAICA 79,526 209.6
1511100000 Crude palm oil MEXICO 2,644,773 4268.5
1511100000 Crude palm oil NETHERLANDS 7,886,146 18702.5
1511100000 Crude palm oil UNITED KINGDOM 24,322,495 58618.1
1511100000 Crude palm oil VENEZUELA 417,136 960.2
1511900000 Other palm oil and its fractions, whether
or not refined, but not chemicallymodifiedBELGIUM 667,756 581.7
1511900000 Other palm oil and its fractions, whether
or not refined, but not chemically
modifiedUNITED STATES 138,761 102.5
1511900000 Other palm oil and its fractions, whether
or not refined, but not chemically
modifiedUNITED KINGDOM 130,268 121.2
1511900000 Other palm oil and its fractions, whether
or not refined, but not chemicallymodifiedDOMINICAN REPUBLIC 44,421 108.0
1511900000 Other palm oil and its fractions, whether
or not refined, but not chemicallymodifiedVENEZUELA 709,778 652.6G/C/W/216
Page 28NANDINA DESCRIPTION DESTINATION US$
FOB 1999TONS/1999
1512190000 Other sunflowerseed or safflower oil and
fractions thereofBARRANQUILLA FREE ZONE 6,025 4.5
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil BELGIUM 83,966 73.0
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil MEXICO 3,659,899 5516.2
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil NETHERLANDS 331,000 500.0
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil UNITED KINGDOM 4,064,526 6008.8
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 380,000 500.0
1513211000 Crude palm kernel oil VENEZUELA 269,386 394.3
1515210000 Crude maize (corn) oil VENEZUELA 230,892 314.1
1515900000 Other fixed vegetable fats and oils, not
chemically modifiedVENEZUELA 26,546 26.5
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not further
preparedARGENTINA 27,490 32.2
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not furtherpreparedGUATEMALA 99,420 136.1
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not furtherpreparedJAMAICA 16,210 17.0
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not further
preparedMEXICO 12,294 13.3
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not furtherpreparedPERU 37,351 40.0
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not furtherpreparedDOMINICAN REPUBLIC 427,102 560.1G/C/W/216
Page 29NANDINA DESCRIPTION DESTINATION US$
FOB 1999TONS/1999
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not further
preparedURUGUAY 16,394 17.0
1516200000 Vegetable fats and oils and their fractions,
whether or not refined, but not furtherpreparedVENEZUELA 5,366,606 6829.2
2309100000 Dog or cat food, put up  for retail sale ECUADOR 744,197 978.9
2309901000 Animal feed with added molasses and
sugarARUBA 5,500 20.0
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding ARGENTINA 119,080 56.5
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding BRAZIL 391,305 172.8
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding COSTA RICA 116,432 15.4
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding CHILE 36,678 13.8
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding ECUADOR 484,842 69.7
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for an imal feedin g HONDURAS 5,038 5.6
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding MEXICO 73,100 10.0
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding PANAMA 70,270 38.2
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding PERU 6,555 1.5
2309902000 Pre-mixtures for animal feeding VENEZUELA 375,120 123.6
2309909000 Other preparations of a kind used in
animal feedingARGENTINA 40,790 9.0
2309909000 Other preparations of a kind used in
animal feedingBRAZIL 102,150 45.0
2309909000 Other preparations of a kind used in
animal feedingECUADOR 40,174 164.0
2309909000 Other preparations of a kind used in
animal feedingVENEZUELA 33,795 63.3
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