Colombian Merchants Call for the Elimination of the 40% Tariff on Imported Clothing
In recent hours, the National Federation of Merchants of Colombia (Fenalco) asked the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella to establish more balanced competitive conditions vis-a-vis international platforms such as Temu and Shein. But there was another request that also sparked widespread debate: eliminating the 40% tariff on imported clothing. According to Jaime Alberto […]
Colombian merchants are calling for the removal of a 40% tariff on imported clothing, arguing that the measure has had negative effects on the market and encouraged smuggling. The National Federation of Merchants of Colombia (Fenalco) has requested that the government, led by President Abelardo de la Espriella, create more competitive conditions with international platforms like Temu and Shein.
However, some are questioning the decision, with National Association of Businesspeople of Colombia (ANDI) president Bruce Mac Master warning that eliminating the tariff could weaken protection for domestic industry against unfair competition. Fenalco also proposes eliminating the tax burden on neighborhood stores and reviewing health taxes to support small businesses.
The trade association leader, Jaime Alberto Cabal, emphasized that the tariff has not achieved the expected results in competitiveness and has instead encouraged smuggling, calling for a review of its continuation. Commerce Minister Mauricio Gomez Amin committed to studying Fenalco's requests through a technical working group, promising to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance on the proposals related to taxes.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
