Trade
Exports, imports, trade agreements, ports/logistics
69 articlesCAN Resolution 2582 Orders Ecuador-Colombia Tariff Withdrawal Within 10 Business Days; Colombian Exports Already Down 60%
The Andean Community issued Resolution 2582 on May 7, ordering Ecuador and Colombia to withdraw reciprocal tariffs within 10 business days. The ruling declares both countries' measures incompatible with the Cartagena Agreement. With Ecuador's rate at 75% and Colombian exports down 60% through March, industry leaders on both sides call current conditions unsustainable.
ASOTEP Assessment: Peru's Chancay Megaport Impact on Ecuador 'Indirect and Non-Substitutive'
Ecuador's Port Terminals Association (ASOTEP) assesses that Peru's Chancay megaport has created an 'indirect and non-substitutive' impact on Ecuadorian port operations, reconfiguring regional transshipment routes toward Asia rather than displacing Ecuadorian cargo directly.
Ecuador Reduces Colombia Security Tariff From 100% to 75%, Effective June 1
Ecuador will lower its security tariff on Colombian imports from 100% to 75% starting June 1, 2026 — the first reduction since President Noboa initiated trade restrictions in February. Colombia's retaliatory tariffs on 191 Ecuadorian products remain in place.
SENAE Cuts Duty-Free Liquor Allowance to 3 Liters, Citing 694,000-Liter Informal Trade Leak
Ecuador's National Customs Service (SENAE) reduced the per-traveler duty-free alcohol limit from 5 liters to 3 liters effective May 4, 2026. The agency estimates 694,000 liters entered duty-free in 2024 alone, with the majority diverted to informal commercial channels rather than personal consumption.
China-Ecuador FTA at Two Years: Non-Petroleum Trade Deficit Widens 467% as Chinese Imports Surge 30%
Two years after entering force, the China-Ecuador Free Trade Agreement has produced a dramatically lopsided result. Ecuador's non-petroleum trade deficit with China widened from $335 million in 2023 to $1.9 billion in 2025 — a 467% deterioration driven by a 30% surge in Chinese imports while export growth stalled at 4.4%.
Colombia Signs Decree 0455: Retaliatory Tariffs of 35–75% on Ecuadorian Products — Bilateral Trade Projected to Collapse
Colombia has signed Decree 0455 establishing retaliatory tariffs of 35%, 50%, and 75% on Ecuadorian imports, invoking national security provisions under the Cartagena Agreement and GATT Article XXI. Trade projections indicate a 75% decline in Colombian imports from Ecuador ($640M reduction) and a 79% decline in Colombian exports to Ecuador ($1.452B reduction).
Ecuador-Colombia Tariff War: Bilateral Trade Down 44% as Ecuador Prepares 100% Duties in May
Bilateral trade between Ecuador and Colombia fell 44% in the first month of the tariff war. Ecuador plans to raise duties to 100% in May, up from the current 50%. Colombia has responded with retaliatory tariffs up to 75% and threatened to cut electricity exports — a critical supply line after Ecuador's 2024 blackout crisis.
Ecuador Has Ratified 41 International Treaties Since November 2023 — 36 Now in Force
Ecuador's Constitutional Court has reviewed 41 international treaties since Daniel Noboa took office in November 2023. Of these, 36 are currently in force covering trade, police cooperation, air services, migration, and cybercrime. The portfolio includes strategic economic agreements with South Korea, the EU, and China.
Colombia to Formalize Tariff Decree on Ecuadorian Imports — 0–75% Range, Effective Days Away
Colombia's counter-tariff decree on Ecuadorian imports — ranging from 0% on intermediate inputs to 75% on goods produced domestically — is expected to be signed the week of April 21. The move responds to Ecuador's February 1 tariff hike (30→50%) and its planned 100% tariff on May 1. An 80-day bilateral dispute is about to formalize.
Ecuador-Morocco Commercial MoU in Final Phase; African Exports $27.8M in Q1 2026 vs $35.7M Full-Year 2025
Ecuador and Morocco are finalizing a commercial Memorandum of Understanding as Rabat prepares to open an embassy in Quito. Ecuadorian exports to African markets reached $27.8M in the first bimester of 2026, already nearing 2025's full-year total of $35.7M. A business forum between Ecuadorian and Moroccan exporter federations accompanies the diplomatic move.
Ecuador-South Korea SECA Trade Agreement Ratified via Decreto Ejecutivo 359 — 98.9% Tariff-Free Coverage
President Noboa ratified the SECA agreement with South Korea via Decreto Ejecutivo 359 on April 15, 2026, two days after Asamblea approved 83 votes. Agreement covers 23 chapters, eliminates tariffs on 98.9% of Ecuadorian exports (currently 20-45%). Shrimp at 0% immediately; banana phased over 5 years. Korean market: 51M consumers, ~6× Ecuador per-capita income, ~70% food import dependency.
DIAN Data Confirms Trade War Bite: Colombian Exports to Ecuador Fell 27% YTD, 57% Month-Over-Month
Colombia's DIAN reports Colombian exports to Ecuador fell 27% year-to-date through February and 57% between February and March as Ecuador's security tariff took effect. Electricity exports collapsed 77%. Ecuadorian exports to Colombia rose 32% to $187.7 million. The tariff escalates from 50% to 100% on May 1.
Fedexpor Projects USD 367 Million Export Upside From Ecuador–South Korea Trade Agreement Over Five Years
With Ecuador's National Assembly having approved the SECA (Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement) with South Korea, Fedexpor is projecting a $367 million five-year upside in exports. 98.8% of Ecuador's exportable supply enters South Korea at zero tariff immediately upon ratification. Shrimp gets immediate access; bananas phase in; certain sensitive categories have up to 15-year adaptation windows. The deal now awaits presidential ratification.
Sommerfeld 2025 Report: 7,400+ Tariff Lines to 0% Under US Deal, $343.9M Cooperation Secured
Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld presented Ecuador's 2025 foreign affairs accountability report, headlined by the US trade deal commitment that more than 7,400 tariff lines will drop to 0% immediately. The report documents $343.9M in non-reimbursable international cooperation, 107 bilateral instruments signed, and 97.98% ministerial budget execution.
Ecuador's 100% Tariff on Colombian Goods Triggers Existential Crisis for Andean Community
Ecuador's April 9 imposition of a 100% tariff on Colombian products threatens the institutional viability of the Comunidad Andina de Naciones, the 57-year-old Andean trade bloc. The measure targets approximately $2 billion in annual bilateral trade. Former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe Vélez publicly warned the border city of Ipiales is 'in ruin' as cross-border commerce collapses.
National Hotel Occupancy at 40.3% — Tourism Recovery Metrics Show Steady But Incomplete Rebound
Ecuador's national hotel occupancy reached 40.3% in the most recent reporting period, representing a 3.6 percentage point year-over-year improvement. While coastal and Galápagos properties are leading the recovery, the national average remains 10-15 points below the pre-pandemic baseline, constrained by security perceptions, airlift limitations, and regional competition.
US-Ecuador Reciprocal Trade Deal: Sector-by-Sector Implementation Analysis
The US-Ecuador reciprocal trade agreement, signed March 14 by USTR Jamieson Greer and Ecuador's Minister Jaramillo, establishes the most comprehensive bilateral trade framework between the two countries in two decades. Implementation is targeted for August 2026, with phased tariff reductions across beef, pork, flowers, fruit, and manufacturing sectors.
Manta Draws 158,000+ Visitors, $8.2M During Semana Santa
Manta welcomed over 158,000 visitors during Semana Santa 2026, generating an estimated $8.2 million in direct tourism spending. Hotel occupancy across the canton reached 80%, with beachfront properties hitting near-full capacity. The numbers underscore Manta's growing positioning as a domestic tourism anchor and its economic significance for Manabí province.
Ecuador-Colombia Trade War at Maximum Escalation: 50% Tariffs Both Sides
The Ecuador-Colombia bilateral trade relationship has reached maximum escalation, with both countries imposing 50% tariffs on the other's imports. The dispute — which has expanded to include a 900% pipeline tariff surcharge and the suspension of Colombian electricity exports — puts approximately $2.8 billion in annual bilateral trade at risk. The escalation is the most severe disruption to Andean trade since the 2008 diplomatic crisis.
EV Sales Surge: 2,198 Units in Q1 2026 — Chinese Brands Lead the Segment
Ecuador registered 2,198 electric vehicles during Q1 2026 — a record quarterly volume and a significant acceleration from 2025. BYD leads the segment with approximately 40% share, while Chinese brands collectively account for more than 75% of EV registrations. The surge reflects tax incentives introduced in 2023, accelerating charging infrastructure investment, and aggressive pricing from Chinese manufacturers that has pushed entry-level EVs below $25,000 in the Ecuadorian market.