Bogotá D.C., August 2025 – The Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (CCB) has launched the fourth edition of the Commercial Custom Research Contest, which aims to encourage teams made up of three students and one faculty advisor to identify and submit commercial practices that are not currently under investigation or have not yet been certified by the CCB as commercial customs.

Teams must consist of three (3) students led by a faculty member from the same university, representing their academic institution. Universities may enter multiple teams, provided that no student is part of more than one team.

The research paper must comply with the legal requirements for a practice to be certified as a commercial custom and must include a field study involving at least five (5) companies to verify the implementation of the proposed practice.

Commercial customs are practices consistently, publicly, and uniformly carried out by members of an economic sector, which may be certified and become enforceable in business dealings. For example:

In real estate sale contracts, it is customary for the seller to deliver the property free of debts related to property taxes, utility bills, and condominium fees.

In used car sale contracts for private vehicles, it is customary for the seller to provide the buyer with a spare tire and floor mats.

By participating in the fourth edition of the Commercial Custom Research Contest, students will gain practical exposure to legal knowledge related to the sources of Commercial Law.

Contest Timeline:

Teams may register until September 10, 2025.

Research papers must be submitted by email to: correspondencia@ccb.org.co no later than September 30, 2025, at 4:59 p.m., with the subject line: Commercial Custom Research Contest – Essay (Team Number).

Review and selection of finalists will take place by October 8, 2025, conducted by experts in the field, who will choose the finalist teams for the grand finale.

Finalist teams must present and defend their research orally before a panel of judges on October 14, 2025, during the grand finale. The judges will select the winning teams.

Prizes:

First Place: Awarded to the team with the highest combined score from the final oral presentation and the essay. The team will receive redeemable vouchers equivalent to 50% of the total prize budget allocated for the current year. This amount will be distributed proportionally among the team members and the faculty advisor.

Second Place: Awarded to the team with the second-highest total score (oral and essay combined). They will receive redeemable vouchers equivalent to 30% of the annual prize budget, distributed proportionally among team members and the advisor.

Third Place: Awarded to the team with the third-highest total score. They will receive redeemable vouchers equivalent to 20% of the annual prize budget, also distributed proportionally among team members and the advisor.