Colombia Establishes a Notification Portal for Chemical Substances

On May 31, 2022, the Colombian Ministry of Commerce (MINCIT) officially launched the Online Portal for Chemical Substances for Industrial Use. The Online Portal will be the main instrument for the industry to submit chemical information to the authorities, as foreseen in the recently approved chemical framework (Decree 1630/2021).

Decree 1630 is Colombia's most recent and comprehensive chemical policy, enacted in November 2021. The creation of a National Chemical Inventory is among the future instruments intended to improve chemical management. The Inventory, in turn, will be populated with existing chemicals and their respective characteristics.

Manufacturers and importers dealing with chemicals identified as hazardous by the GHS in amounts over 100 kg per annum will be required to submit data to the Online Portal, referred to as the notification process. Necessary information comprises the manufacturer/importer details, substance name, CAS number, hazard classification, uses, and specific amounts. The deadline for chemical notifications is May 30, 2025.

In this first notification deadline, manufacturers/importers shall submit information related to chemicals and amounts for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. From 2025, manufacturers/importers will be required to submit information for the previous fiscal year, i.e., chemical amounts produced or imported into Colombia. This means that manufacturers/importers must submit updates every once a year, where the notification for 2026 is related to the amount of produced or imported chemicals in 2025.

Further details about the Online Portal and the notification process are available once the business registers into the notification portal. Unfortunately, the notification portal is currently only accessible for those businesses with tax identification numbers in Colombia.