Bogota, December 02, 2022. From 28 November to 1 December, Component 2 of AL-INVEST Verde visited Bogota, Colombia, to explore possibilities for collaboration with Colombian institutions in the field of sustainability. In coordination with the Delegation of the European Union (EUD) in Bogota and the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism (MINCIT), it organised several meetings with the Colombian institutions in the field of sustainability. meetings with representatives of ministries, trade unions, business organisations and international organisations.
Together with MINCIT, three thematic roundtables were organised to discuss actions to combat deforestation, sustainable agri-food systems and due diligence in agroforestry chains. The roundtables brought together a large number of public sector actors from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Labour, as well as dependent entities such as ProColombia, Colombia Productiva, the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), the National Institute of Food and Drug Surveillance (Invima) and representatives of the coffee, cocoa, palm, banana, timber and tropical fruit production sectors.
In particular, the possible sectoral impact of the entry into force of the regulation to combat imported deforestationwhose proposal was approved by the European Parliament last September. It also identified the need to move forward in processes of georeferencing and geolocation of production plots and the difficulties faced by different sectors in achieving this were presented.
In the analysis of sustainable agri-food systems, the need to advance in the use of environmentally friendly packagingThe variety of seals and certificates that currently exist and their usefulness in ensuring compliance with socio-environmental standards.
Finally, the improvements implemented in different sectors in the socio-labour field were shared, along with the challenges faced for ensuring fair and inclusive working conditionsto meet due diligence requirements.
Sustainability and export
During the visit to Colombia, AL-INVEST Verde also met with ProColombia to prepare for the launch of a joint action, currently under development. tenderwhich will enable AL-INVEST Verde to provide technical assistance for supporting ProColombia and MINCIT in the transition towards sustainability of Colombian agro-industrial exports to the European Union (EU).
Along the same lines, with the intention of promoting compliance with the European Green Pact (EVP) and trade exchanges between Colombia and the EU, a meeting was organised with the Director of Industry of the National Association of Colombian Businessmen (ANDI), Adriana Vargas, to discuss the implications of the EVP for the Colombian business sector.
Other meetings provided the opportunity to learn from MINCIT about the status of the circular economy in Colombia or explore together with the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) and the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (INCONTEC) the need to strengthen the national laboratory system and inspection at origin for the control of maximum residue limits in agro-export products.
In addition, meetings were held with representatives of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with the aim of learning about the work of international organisations in the field of sustainability.
About AL-INVEST Verde
AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIIAPP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance for strengthening public policy and multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policy and regulatory frameworks.
Further information: www.alinvest-verde.eu
