Colombia and Venezuela agreed Monday to extend tariff preferences between the two countries for 90 days, while they finalize the signing of an agreement governing their trade relations, according to a report by Reuters.
The agreement was made in Bogota during a meeting between the foreign ministers of both countries. “We agreed that we will extend the preferences while negotiating the deal, I think the deal is on track … we hope that it will be ready this year,” said Colombia’s Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin.
Trade between Colombia and Venezuela continues to slowly recover after a diplomatic thaw between the two previously bickering countries.
Trade difficulties between the two countries began in 2009 when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ordered the suspension of imports from Colombia in retaliation for Colombia signing a military agreement with the United States.
Venezuela left the Community of Andean Nations in April and the extension of tariff preferences marks an attempt between the two countries to resume bilateral trade.
Since Chavez and Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos resumed diplomatic relations in August 2010, trade between the two countries has begun to recover.
Following their meeting Monday, the two foreign ministers agreed that they would meet in November to continue the process of trade and political integration.