Ecuador raises the rate on imports from Colombia to 100% starting in May

The tariff measure doubles the current surcharge of 50% and responds to Quito's complaints about Colombia's lack of action on border security in the fight against drug trafficking. Share The Government of Ecuador announced this Thursday a tightening of its trade measures against Colombia, raising the security rate applied to imports from the neighboring country to 100%. The decision, which will come into effect on May 1st, occurs in a context of growing diplomatic tension and represents a direct blow to bilateral trade. Through the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Investments, Quito explained that the measure responds to the lack of implementation of "concrete and effective" actions by Colombia in the field of border security. "Ecuador finds itself obliged to take sovereign actions," the document states, which bases the increase on national security criteria and the need to protect citizens from the advance of drug trafficking in the border area. The Ecuadorian government ...