COLOMBIA · ECONOMY
Key Facts
- The country Colombia, a South American economy with a new conservative president, Abelardo de la Espriella.
- What happened Commerce Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín said Colombia will sign a trade deal with Japan.
- The date Signing is set for Sunday 20 December 2026, after nearly 15 years of stalled talks.
- What comes next Under Colombian procedure, Congress and the Constitutional Court, which reviews treaties, must still weigh in.
- Power Index Colombia ranks 6th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 51.9 points (October 2026 edition).
Colombia will sign a long-awaited trade pact with Japan on Sunday 20 December 2026, Commerce Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín announced this week from Madrid. The treaty, called an Economic Partnership Agreement, is Japan’s version of a free-trade deal.
For US readers, the pact matters because Japanese carmakers, machinery makers and investors would gain easier access to a market where US firms already trade under a preferential agreement in force since 2012. Our guide to Colombia’s key players explains who is steering the policy.
What Happened
Gómez Amín, who runs the ministry that handles trade and industry, said four months of talks cleared the blockage in a negotiation that had been frozen for nearly 15 years. He said the treaty should open new agribusiness markets, ease technology transfer and draw foreign investment in the energy transition and electric mobility.
The minister said the aim is to open markets for Colombian products and create new opportunities for farms and industry. The government has not yet published the text of the agreement.
How the Talks Restarted
The restart began in late August. On Thursday 27 August 2026, Gómez Amín met Japan’s Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, in Tokyo, and both governments told their technical teams to continue talks aimed at reviving the negotiation, according to the Colombian trade ministry.
On Monday 31 August the president said real progress had come within the first 15 days of his government. The minister also met Toyota, the Japanese carmaker, and Toshiba, the electronics group, and the president said Colombia is working so Mazda, another Japanese carmaker, can return to assembling vehicles in the country.
What the Deal Is Meant to Do
An Economic Partnership Agreement lowers tariffs on goods and usually adds rules on investment, services and customs. The Colombian government says this one targets agribusiness exports, technology transfer and clean-energy and electric-mobility investment.
The minister also confirmed that Colombia will take part in GREEN×EXPO 2027, a horticultural fair in Yokohama. Which tariffs would fall, and how fast, has not been made public.
The Road to Ratification
Signing is only one step, because under Colombian procedure treaties go to Congress and then to the Constitutional Court, the court that checks them against the constitution. Japan is also expected to complete its own approval.
No ratification timetable has been announced. Colombia is also pursuing separate trade goals in Washington, as we reported in our story on Colombia’s push to end a US tariff.
What It Means for You
If you invest in Colombia through US funds, a Japan pact signals that the new government wants more trade partners beyond the United States. Japanese car and parts makers could become stronger competitors to US suppliers in Colombia once tariffs fall.
Travellers and importers need not change plans, because nothing changes until the treaty is ratified and in force. Coffee and flower buyers should watch whether Japan lowers its own tariffs, since that would pull Colombian farm exports toward Asia.
What Is Not Known
The text, the tariff schedule and the list of products covered have not been published. It is also not known where the signing will take place, who will sign for Japan, or whether Japan has confirmed the date.
The government has not said how long ratification will take. It has also not said whether every chapter of the text is fully closed.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Colombia Signing With Japan?
An Economic Partnership Agreement, a trade treaty that lowers tariffs and sets rules for investment. Colombia says it will sign on Sunday 20 December 2026.
Why Did Talks Take Nearly 15 Years?
Negotiations stalled for years before the new government restarted them in August 2026. Officials say four months of technical talks removed the blockage.
Does the Deal Take Effect on 20 December?
No. Signing starts the approval process, which under Colombian procedure includes Congress and the Constitutional Court before the treaty can take effect.
Does the Deal Affect US Exporters?
It could add Japanese competition in Colombia once tariffs fall. US firms already trade with Colombia under a trade agreement in force since 2012.
Sources: Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, Colombia and Japan reactivate EPA negotiation, 27 August 2026; Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, statement by the president on Japan, 31 August 2026; statements by Commerce Minister Mauricio Gómez Amín, Madrid, 4 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief