Measures to expand access to telecommunications amidst COVID-19 crisis.
Expedite approval process for requests applicable to the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure and VAT exemptions on mobile voice and data plans are the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones) to expand access to telecommunications during the state of emergency.

Transport sector conforms to the new isolation measures.
In the midst of the extension of the obligatory isolation measure, Decree 569 of 2020 adopts measures related with: (i) The Logistics and Transport Center (“LTC”); (ii) Measures arising from the mobility restriction; and (iii) Economic actions derived from the emergency.

Employment protection measures in the mitigation phase of COVID-19.
Through Circular Letter 33, the Ministry of Work (Ministerio del Trabajo) issued the following employment protection measures to cope with the mitigation phase of Covid 19: compensable paid leave, modification of working hours and salary agreement, modification or suspension of extralegal benefits and agreement on benefits set forth in collective bargaining agreements or collective accords.

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies (Ministerio de Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicaciones) trust e-commerce to face the State of Emergency.
Through a joint Directive, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo), established guidelines that boost the practice of e-commerce as a mechanism to overcome the economic effects of Covid-19. Among others, these entities allowed the distribution of products through postal services, collaborative economy companies, and, detailed the definition of “goods of ordinary consumption” that can be purchased in this quarantine.

Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (Superintendencia de Industria y Comercio) extends the suspension of administrative deadlines and includes new item to restrictive conducts during the Covid 19 pandemic.
Deadlines will continue to be suspended until May 11, 2020, unless the national quarantine period is extended. Moreover, a new item to the list of restrictive conducts was included: failing to make timely payments to small and medium-sized enterprises which are selling goods or services to holders of government contracts for construction of infrastructure.

Contributions to the Pension System are temporarily decreased.
This scheme proposes greater liquidity to employers, employees and independent contractors. It also seeks to protect pensioners under the programmed retirement scheme, who receive a minimum monthly legal wage from a potential decapitalization of the pension savings accounts supporting the payment of their pension.

Temporary measures for commercial and residential leases.
Suspension of evictions during the period between April 15 and June 30, 2020 and deferral of the annual readjustment of rent from April 15 and June 30, 2020 are some of the measures taken to counteract the economics impacts of the pandemic and lessors and lessees.

Colombian Sanitary Authority (INVIMA) extends list of products considered Non-available Vital Product.
As a measure to lessen the negative effects of Covid-19 in the health sector, elements for healthcare personnel protection are considered medical devices son long as the manufacturer specifically declares its use for healthcare professionals in hospital environments. Consequently, these products can be commercialized without a sanitary registration.

Tax reliefs for corporate bankruptcy procedure.
Under the new reorganization and insolvency Decree, companies will not be subject to withholding tax and should not apply self-withholding for income tax. Likewise, these companies should not calculate or pay advance of income tax or be subject to presumptive income. Finally, they will be subject to VAT withholding at a rate of 50%.