Last week, the EU requested WTO consultations with Colombia concerning that country’s discriminatory tax and monopoly systems. This follows a series of failed attempts to address the taxation system for imported spirits in Colombia and the market-distorting and anti-competitive practices of the spirits monopolies. This has prevented our companies from benefiting from the Free Trade Agreement that entered into force in 2013.
This is a clear violation of WTO rules and, as a result, we strongly support the EU’s decision to take the matter to the WTO (press release).
Colombia is a priority market for the EU spirits industry in Latin America that offers significant commercial potential. It is the largest market in the Andean Community, representing more than a third of EU spirit drink exports to the region with direct exports valued at €41.2 million in 2014.
