Bogotá, October 29, 2025. The Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (CCB) celebrates that the DIAN (Colombian National Tax and Customs Directorate) has issued Memorandum Number 220 of October 27, 2025, which provides new guidelines for verifying the authenticity of the transport document, benefiting exporting and importing business owners in Bogotá, the region, and the country.

Based on Decree 1165 of 2019, Article 177, which states that supporting documents for the import declaration can be presented either physically or electronically, it is now viable to use QR codes printed on transport documents (B/L) as a tool to verify the authenticity, traceability, and status of the document. This allows for the validation of information issued by the shipping line, preventing the counterfeiting of information contained in documents issued in physical format.

The Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, together with the Colombian Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Colombia), has been promoting this initiative for nearly two years.

Ovidio Claros, Executive President of the CCB, explains that “this provision allows for the expansion of benefits for the business sector in Colombia and becomes a milestone towards the modernization and digitalization of the Colombian customs system.”

The novelty is that, taking advantage of technological advancements, the DIAN now recognizes and promotes the use of complementary digital tools that allow for the validation of the traceability and authenticity of these documents issued by shipping lines and freight forwarders.

This decision represents a significant advance for Colombia, improving its competitiveness, while generating concrete benefits for business owners by reducing their costs and processing times, with high levels of security and traceability in each operation.

What is the Electronic Bill of Lading?

The electronic bill of lading is a negotiable document (security) that specifies the conditions for a delivery between the shipper, consignee, and carrier according to the agreed upon terms and conditions of carriage.