Over time, technology and globalization have reshaped value chains and, with them, the legal, technical, and technological implications behind any given product or service, as well as the way it is sold in a given territory. A single product may now cross several jurisdictions, incorporate components sourced from different countries, and rely on a complex network of direct and indirect suppliers that contribute to its production.
Against this backdrop, the risks associated with foreign trade operations are no longer confined to tariff, logistics, or contractual matters. They now intersect with issues as diverse as investment, human rights, labor regulation, and sustainability.
With this in mind, the international community has set out to ensure that the law keeps pace with the new complexities of foreign trade. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD),[2] for example, has been described as a turning point in how risks arising from global value chains are analyzed, managed, and prevented. For foreign trade practice, reporting risks is therefore no longer enough: they must be properly identified, monitored, and anticipated across every area they touch.
In response to this international trend, Colombia enacted Decree 1444 of 2026, which prohibits the importation of goods produced, wholly or partially, through forced or compulsory labor.[3] The prohibition applies across all stages of the supply chain, from the extraction of raw materials to the final manufacturing process, reflecting a growing international consensus that supply-chain integrity is a prerequisite for market access.
More importantly, the decree introduces a new compliance and enforcement framework for importers. Under the regulation, goods linked to forced labor may be subject to seizure and forfeiture by customs authorities, while importers may face administrative penalties for non-compliance. The regime is supported by enhanced risk assessment tools, information-sharing mechanisms among authorities, and increased expectations regarding corporate due diligence and supply-chain transparency.
As a result, companies operating in Colombia should no longer view forced labor as solely a human-rights concern. It has become a customs and trade compliance issue that requires businesses to understand their supply chains, identify high-risk suppliers, and maintain adequate records to demonstrate that imported goods are free from forced labor risks.
[1] The Medellín Group, “Medellín Manifesto on Transnational Value Chains and International Law,” London Review of International Law 13, no. 1 (2025): 118, https://doi.org/10.1093/lril/lraf006.
[2] Julia Sinnig and Dirk A. Zetzsche, “The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive: From Disclosure to Mandatory Prevention of Adverse Sustainability Impacts in Supply Chains,” European Journal of Risk Regulation 16 (2025): 628-652.
[3] Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, Decree “Por el cual se prohíbe la importación de bienes producidos total o parcialmente mediante trabajo forzoso u obligatorio, y se dictan otras disposiciones” [Prohibiting the import of goods produced wholly or partly through forced or compulsory labor, and issuing other provisions] (Bogotá, September 29, 2026).
