Articles
Business intelligence and analysis on Ecuador
Canada and Ecuador Conclude Free Trade Agreement Negotiations After Six Rounds; Ratification Pending
Canada and Ecuador concluded free trade agreement negotiations in January 2025 after six rounds of talks launched in April 2024. Under the agreement, Ecuador will remove duties on 97.2% of tariff lines. The deal reflects parallel diversification strategies as both nations seek to reduce dependence on the US market amid escalating Trump-era tariffs.
Ecuador-Colombia Quito Summit Ends Without Agreement as Reciprocal 30% Tariffs Remain; Colombia Files CAN Complaint
The high-level bilateral summit in Quito on February 6 ended without agreement to lift reciprocal 30% tariffs between Ecuador and Colombia. Colombia subsequently filed a formal complaint with the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) and signalled plans to expand retaliatory measures. Both leaders face weak domestic approval as $2.8 billion in annual bilateral trade hangs in the balance.
Colombia Sends High-Level Delegation to Quito in Bid to De-Escalate Trade War as Reciprocal 30% Tariffs Enter Second Week
Colombia dispatched a high-level delegation to Quito on February 6 for private bilateral talks aimed at resolving the escalating trade war between the two nations. The visit, authorised directly by President Petro, comes as reciprocal 30% tariffs, a 900% pipeline fee hike, and Colombia's suspension of electricity exports threaten over $3 billion in annual bilateral commerce.
Ecuador-Colombia Trade War Paralyses Rumichaca Border as Reciprocal 30% Tariffs Devastate $3B+ Annual Commerce
Reciprocal 30% tariffs between Ecuador and Colombia, effective February 1, have triggered a near-total collapse in cross-border trade at the Rumichaca crossing. More than 1,000 truckers staged a "March for Border Dignity" on February 4, as bilateral commerce worth over $3 billion annually grinds to a halt. High-level officials are scheduled to meet in Quito on February 6.
Ecuador Shrimp Exports to Asia Surge 31% as Chinese Demand Rebounds
Ecuador's shrimp exports to Asian markets surged 31% in 2025 to reach $4.6 billion, according to the Camara Nacional de Acuacultura, with China overtaking the United States as the country's single largest shrimp buyer.