The relationship between trade and the environment raises questions of vital importance in the international scenario, such as climate change, the protection of the ozone layer, the elimination of toxic waste, soils, water resources, biodiversity and the future of species in danger of extinction.

Today, Colombia is party to a large number of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAS) many of which include provisions that may affect trade, and which have to be taken into account in the commercial negotiations.

During the course of negotiations of free-trade agreements (FTA), environmental considerations and their implications have acquired great importance. Today, Colombia has 13 of these FTAs in force, four FTAs signed, and three sets of negotiations in progress. Some of the agreement in force contain specific environmental chapters as part of the text, such as those with Chile and the European Union. In other cases, specific accords are developed on environmental matters, such as with Canada and the United States.

Likewise, Colombia is developing bilateral initiatives of great importance such as the High-Level Dialogue with the United States, in which thematic discussion groups are established for specific matters that promote of cooperation activities.