Peru imposes sanctions on ten products originating in Colombia

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism (Mincetur) announced that the Peruvian government has decided to reimpose the trade sanction against Colombia approved by the Andean Community Court of Justice (TJCAN) in 2018, in the form of an additional 10% customs duty on ten products imported from that market.

The measure was ordered by Mincetur Supreme Decree (DS) 002-2022, published in the Official Gazette El Peruano. This decision is a response to the fact that Colombia has maintained measures that have prevented the full use of quotas agreed for Peruvian rice exports, despite commitments made by both countries in 2018, according to the Mincetur.

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“We welcome this fair decision for our brothers, the exporters and national producers who were affected by the restrictions on the import of Peruvian rice to this market, because they also have the right to unrestricted foreign trade,” said the head of the sector, Roberto Sanchez.

The TJCAN authorized Peru in August 2018 to impose trade sanctions against Colombia for restricting the importation of Peruvian rice into Colombian territory, according to the Mincetur.

That sanction was suspended that year following an agreement between Colombia and Peru to gradually reopen the Colombian market to Peruvian rice, but Colombia failed to comply.

“This is a commitment that the government of President Pedro Castillo made with our rice farmers during the assemblies of the regions of San Martin, Piura, Cajamarca and Lambayeque. We believe in trade agreements with social justice and reciprocity,” the minister added.

SANCTION

Mincetur’s DS 002-2022 decree imposes an additional 10% tariff on ten agricultural products imported from Colombia, as approved by the Andean Community Court, Mincetur said.

Since 2020, Mincetur has urged its Colombian counterpart to fully comply with the agreements reached to ensure access of Peruvian rice exports to the Colombian market, it said.

The ministry also repeatedly expressed concern about the delay in the allocation of the agreed quotas, it said. The delay affected shipments from the northern and northeastern regions, the main rice-growing areas, it said.

The Mincetur’s DS 002-2022 has been coordinated with the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (Midagri) and the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and is therefore approved by them, the Mincetur said.