By Manuel Ruda
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The White House is urging Colombia to suspend implementation of new vehicle safety regulations that could put American car exports to Colombia at risk.
In a letter to the Columbia Department of Commerce, US trade representative Jamieson Greer said Columbia’s plans to change certification requirements for cars and auto parts that enter the country could lead to a “complete halt” of US car exports to Columbia, worth around $700 million last year.
The letter dated April 11th was leaked to Columbia media on Tuesday, and was also obtained by the Associated Press. In it, Greer warns that if Columbia does not change its plans, it will implement “unfair trade practices that could create expeditious US enforcement measures.”
Columbia’s Commerce Minister Cielo Rusinque declined to comment on the letter, but in a radio interview on Tuesday, she said safety regulations will be one of several issues considered when representatives of both countries meet to discuss tariffs later this month.
Since 2021, Colombia has developed new technical requirements for brakes, car windows, tires and seat belts that are consistent with international safety protocols developed by the United Nations.
The Colombian government currently hopes manufacturers selling automobiles and auto parts to Colombia will obtain certification from third parties that verify products that meet these international standards.
Representatives from the US Trade Bureau argue that vehicles manufactured in the US must already adhere to US federal motor vehicle safety standards, and that Columbia does not provide evidence that these standards are inadequate.
In a report on the World Trade Barrier released earlier this year, the US trade delegation said the manufacturers told the US government they had no ability to obtain third-party verification of their automotive products.
The dispute over the export of cars comes just months after Colombia and the United States entered the trade war over deportation flights.
In January, President Gustavopetro refused to accept deportation flights from the United States, claiming that Colombians on those flights were being treated inhumanely. In response, Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Colombian exports such as coffee, flowers, avocados and oil.
The conflict was resolved within 24 hours and Peter once again accepted deportation from the US, but most of these are now run by the Colombian Air Force.
Columbia was hit with 10% tariffs on exports to the US earlier this month when Trump announced his new economic emergency measures.
Last week, the Colombian government wrote to US authorities, inviting them to start negotiations over new tariffs.
The United States is Colombia’s largest trading partner, purchasing around 30% of its annual exports.
Colombia and the US signed a free trade agreement in 2012. This also boosts Colombia’s imports of corn, soybeans, mechanical and chemicals in the United States.
In 2024, the US had a trade surplus of 1.3 billion with Colombia.
Original issue: April 15th, 2025, 7:36pm EDT
