Colombia Implements 30% Tariff and Border Restrictions on Ecuadorian Products Amid Escalating Trade Dispute

The Colombian government formalized the imposition of a 30% ad valorem tariff on more than 23 tariff lines, covering 73 subheadings of Ecuadorian imports, through Decree 0170 of 2026, effective February 24. The affected products span agricultural and manufactured goods such as beans, rice varieties including paddy and semi-polished, plantains, cocoa powder, sugar, fats, oils, bananas, rubber-and-leather-soled footwear, fish oils, ethanol, denatured spirits, insecticides, fungicides, disinfectants, and tubes. This measure is explicitly reciprocal to Ecuador’s earlier 30% “security tax” imposed on Colombian goods from February 1, a move Colombia views as a breach of Andean Community agreements regarding free movement of merchandise.

In addition to tariffs, Colombia has instituted prohibitions on the land-border entry of 30 specific Ecuadorian product subcategories through the border points of Ipiales (Nariño) and Puerto Asís (Putumayo). Key agricultural products banned for terrestrial transit include fresh and dried plantains, orito bananas, Hass avocados, coconuts, fresh or refrigerated potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, assorted legumes (lentils, peas, frijoles), passion fruit, shrimp, prawns, and live fish such as trout. These restrictions aim to protect Colombia’s domestic agriculture, mitigate phytosanitary risks like Fusarium race 4 impacting bananas, and prevent the introduction of pests and diseases. The prohibition does not constitute a total import ban, as shipments can enter via air or sea but face heightened operational complexity at overland crossings.

The decree also establishes stringent measures against substances linked to fentanyl production, banning the import of chemical precursors such as hydrochloric acid, diethyl ether, and toluene by land border entry. Noncompliance with these new regulations triggers seizure of merchandise and transport vehicles, with no option for legalization or re-export, alongside administrative sanctions.

Colombia has filed complaints to the Andean Community to contest Ecuador’s tariff as a disguised and prohibited levy, highlighting the intensifying trade tensions. Meanwhile, Ecuador announced plans to raise its tariff on Colombian imports to 50% starting March 1. The evolving situation is expected to disrupt bilateral trade volumes, heighten logistical burdens, and strain regional economic cooperation.