Colombia imposes 35% tariffs on imports of 14 steel and metalworking products

Colombia has imposed 35% tariffs on 14 categories of steel and metalworking products, joining a growing chorus of Latin American nations pushing back against a flood of low-priced imports that producers say is hollowing out the region's industrial base. The measures, announced by the Trade Ministry late Tuesday, target imports from countries with which Colombia has no free-trade agreement — pointing squarely at China, Turkey, Russia and Brazil, which together accounted for the bulk of the 134,929 tons worth $124.6 million imported in 2025. FTA partners are exempt, preserving established supply chains for construction and manufacturing. The tariffs take effect immediately upon publication and are set to last one year. Bogotá framed the move as a defensive response to what it called overproduction and artificially suppressed prices that are undermining Colombian steelmakers. The country's steel sector is running at roughly 60% of its 2.6 million metric ton installed capacity, producing around 1.6 million tons annually — a utilisation gap that the ministry attributed in part to unfair import competition. The move mirrors pressure building across the region. Brazilian and Mexican steelmakers have for years warned that Chinese overcapacity is distorting Latin American markets, and have repeatedly called on their governments to act. Colombia's decision adds another data point to what is becoming a broader regional reckoning with the consequences of China's structural steel surplus. Whether a one-year tariff window is sufficient to meaningfully shift the economics for domestic producers remains an open question. Capacity utilisation at 60% suggests deep-rooted competitiveness challenges that trade barriers alone are unlikely to resolve — but for an industry running well below potential, the measure at least buys time.