Ecuador Collected USD 149M From Colombia Tariff, Raising Refund-Claim Exposure
Ecuador collected USD 149 million from the security tariff imposed on imports from Colombia between February and May 2026.
In May 2026, the last month the tariff applied to Colombian imports, the state collected USD 28 million.
Tariff Timeline
| Date / period | Measure or event |
|---|---|
| January 21, 2026 | Ecuador announced the security tariff on Colombian products. |
| February 1, 2026 | Initial 30% tariff began to be collected. |
| May 2026 | The tariff reached 100%. |
| April 2026 | Highest revenue month: USD 76 million at a 50% tariff level. |
| May 7, 2026 | CAN ordered Ecuador and Colombia to lift reciprocal tariffs within 10 business days. |
| May 21, 2026 | Ecuador filed reconsideration and nullity actions related to CAN resolutions. |
| May 25, 2026 | CAN said the requests from both countries would be processed under community procedures. |
| June 1, 2026 | Ecuador eliminated the tariff. |
Colombia removed its reciprocal measures a few days after Ecuador eliminated the tariff.
Refund-Claim Question
The commercial issue is whether businesses can request refunds for amounts paid while the tariff was in force.
The Chamber of Ecuadorian-Colombian Commerce argued that CAN's May 7 resolutions give taxpayers an express right to request refunds through the relevant entities.
A former legal director of Ecuador's customs authority said importers can file refund requests with customs based on CAN's pronouncement, but also said customs may deny the request or argue that any refund applies only from the May 7 CAN decision date.
What to watch
- Whether importers file refund claims for tariff payments collected from February through May.
- Whether customs limits any refund analysis to collections after May 7.
- Whether CAN resolves the pending procedural challenges within the expected window.
- Whether the removal of reciprocal tariffs restores normal Colombia-Ecuador import flows.
Source
Primicias — “Ecuador recaudó USD 149 millones por los aranceles impuestos a Colombia durante cuatro meses”
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