In this document you will find information about System for the facilitation of business internationalization - SIFAI

1. “Solid economic management has transformed Colombia into
Latin America’s best country for doing business, according to the
World Bank, and foreign direct investment has grown by over
four percent in the last three years. As well as the mainstays of
mining, oil and agriculture, construction is booming, and
ambitious public-private partnerships in roads and railways
should see investment of up to $25 billion by 2018. Tourism –
once unthinkable – is flourishing”.
New York Times when talking about the birth of a new Colombia.
SYSTEM FOR THE FACILITATION
O F B U S I N E S S I N T E R N AT I O N A L I Z AT I O N – S I FA I
FOURTEEN

2. C H A P T E R 14 . S Y S T E M F O R T H E F A C I L I T A T I O N O F B U S I N E S S
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The SIFAI is a public private system created for adopting
measures an actions oriented to the facilitation and
establishments of foreign investors in the country through
an inter-institutional management in a high level technical
private – public Committee.
SIFAI was created on august 24 of 2009 supporting the
improvement of the competitiveness in national economy in
accordance with Decree 2828 of 2006 which establishes
that one of the functions of National Commission of
Competitiveness is to create supporting technical committees.
16.1 Objectives of SIFAI
The main objective is to improve the Colombian position
in investment climate and businesses environment through
the institution of a high level technical private-public
committee involving the competent authorities concerned.
The specific objectives of SIFAI are:
1. Management and implementation of effective actions
addressed to the solution of improvement opportunities
(IO) through the high level public-private technical
committee.
2. Consolidation of an institutional data base of IO
affecting investment environment in Colombia.
3. Analysis, discussion, prioritization and
recommendation of actions for the solution of IO
through a regular procedure with the competent
authorities concerned at a high level of government.
16.2 Members
1. High Council for Competitiveness, Science, Technology
and Innovation.
2. Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism.
3. Director of the National Planning Department
4. President of ProColombia
5. President of the Private Council for Competitiveness.
The technical secretariat of the SIFAI is exercised by
ProColombia.
The executive coordination of the Committee is exercised by
High Council for Competitiveness, Science, Technology and
Innovation. This Council is in charge of convening the meetings
of the Committee and a permanent follow up of the works. The
technical committee shall meet unless once each three months
and may convene extraordinary meetings as required
16.3 Functions
1. To analyze the IO identified and prioritize them:
The technical committee shall review the identified IO
and make a prioritization with the aim of establishing
and implementing effective actions for its solution.
2. To propose action for facilitating businesses:
The technical committee shall suggest and propose
actions to the authorities concerned for the solution of
the IO prioritized.
3. Following up the measures implemented:
The technical Committee and its members shall follow
up all measures implemented by authorities for the
facilitation of businesses with the aim of evaluating its
effectiveness and adopt the appropriate decision.
16.4 What is an improvement opportunity – IO-?
An IO is a norm, a regulation, its application or
interpretation, the practices of the authorities or any
other situation that affects negatively the decision of
establishing or doing business in Colombia.
An IO is identified following criteria such as, any
regulation, its application, or any practice of situations
that cause:
- Cancellation of investment decisions
- Suspension of investment decisions
- Reduction of the amount of investments or the number
of employments
- Disinvestments
- Increase of the cost or time for establishing an
investment.
The IOs are identified mostly by ProColombia, the
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism and the regional
agencies for promoting investments. Only ProColombia
reports the IO to the SIFAI platform.
The online platform of SIFAI facilitates keeping basic
information regarding the IO identified. Also, the
alternatives for the solution of the IO are reported in
order to follow up the solution of any IO and improve the
investment and businesses climate in Colombia
Please do not hesitate to contact the Legal Office
of Business Environment of ProColombia for further
information regarding SIFAI.

3. C H A P T E R 14 . S Y S T E M F O R T H E F A C I L I T A T I O N O F B U S I N E S S
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Legal Framework
LAW SUBJECT
Establishes that one of the functions of
the National Commission of
Competitiveness consists in the creation
of technical support committees.
Decree 2828 of 2006
Issues of the National Development
Plan 2014-2018
Law 1753 of 2015

6. CANADA
UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON D.C., NEW YORK,
SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO,
HOUSTON, ATLANTA, DALLAS
MEXICO
MEXICO CITY
ECUADOR
QUITO
ARGENTINA*
* PROCOLOMBIA´S COVERAGE IN OTHER COUNTRIES
BUENOS AIRES
BRAZIL
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UNITED KINGDOM*
LONDON
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TORONTO, VANCOUVER.
MONTREAL
CARIBBEAN*
MIAMI
GERMANY AUSTRIA, DENMARK, SLOVAKIA, SLOVENIA, HOLLAND, HUNGARY, POLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND
/ ARGENTINA PARAGUAY, URUGUAY / CARIBBEAN PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, CUBA,
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, THE BAHAMAS, BARBADOS, DOMINICA, GRENADA, GUYANA, HAITI, JAMAICA, MONTSERRAT,
SAINT LUCIA, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, SURINAME, ARUBA, CURACAO, ST. MARTIN,
BONAIRE, ST. EUSTAQUIO, SABA, GUADALUPE, MARTINICA, GUYANA FRANCESA, ST. BARTHELEMY, ANGUILLA,
BERMUDA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, CAYMAN ISLANDS, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS / CHINA HONG KONG / SOUTH
CANADA
UNITED STATES
WASHINGTON D.C., NEW YORK,
SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, CHICAGO,
HOUSTON, ATLANTA, DALLAS
MEXICO
MEXICO CITY
ECUADOR
QUITO
ARGENTINA*
* PROCOLOMBIA´S COVERAGE IN OTHER COUNTRIES
BUENOS AIRES
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SAO PAULO
VENEZUELA
CARACAS
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LIMA
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/ ARGENTINA PARAGUAY, URUGUAY / CARIBBEAN PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, CUBA,
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, THE BAHAMAS, BARBADOS, DOMINICA, GRENADA, GUYANA, HAITI, JAMAICA, MONTSERRAT,
SAINT LUCIA, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES, SURINAME, ARUBA, CURACAO, ST. MARTIN,
BONAIRE, ST. EUSTAQUIO, SABA, GUADALUPE, MARTINICA, GUYANA FRANCESA, ST. BARTHELEMY, ANGUILLA,
BERMUDA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, CAYMAN ISLANDS, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS / CHINA HONG KONG / SOUTH

7. INDIA*
UNITED
ARAB
EMIRATES*
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SEOUL
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TURKEY*
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MOSCOW
KOREA PHILIPPINES, MONGOLIA / COSTA RICA PANAMA, NICARAGUA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SAUDI ARABIA, BAHRAIN,
QATAR, KUWAIT, OMAN / SPAIN ITALY, PORTUGAL, ANGOLA, MOZAMBIQUE / FRANCE BELGIUM, MOROCCO, ARGELIA,
SENEGAL,TUNISIA / GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR, HONDURAS, BELIZE / INDIA ISRAEL / INDONESIA MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND,
THAILAND, VIETNAM, AUSTRALIA / JAPAN TAIWAN, SINGAPORE / PERU BOLIVIA / UNITED KINGDOM FINLAND, IRELAND,
NORWAY, SWEDEN, GHANA, KENYA, NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA / RUSSIA BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN /TURKEY GREECE, MACEDONIA.
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THAILAND, VIETNAM, AUSTRALIA / JAPAN TAIWAN, SINGAPORE / PERU BOLIVIA / UNITED KINGDOM FINLAND, IRELAND,
NORWAY, SWEDEN, GHANA, KENYA, NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA / RUSSIA BELARUS, KAZAKHSTAN /TURKEY GREECE, MACEDONIA.