Tolls: they sign and publish a decree that requires the freezing of rates

The National Government, led by the Ministries of Finance and Transport, made official the publication of Decree 050 of January 15, 2023, a document that allows freeze toll rates in the country.

According to the document, the measure enters into force on January 15 and It will be valid until December 31, 2023.

Decree 050 establishes, specifically, that the prices of tolls by the National Highway Institute (Invías) and the National Infrastructure Agency (ANI).

This means that the departmental tolls will be able to increase their price according to the inflation data for 2022, which was 13.12%, according to Dane.

Also, it is worth making clear that the tolls in concessioned roads, which are managed by private companies, they will not be able to increase their rates either.

“Invías and the ANI must apply the mechanisms agreed in the corresponding contracts for the recognition of toll rate adjustments that may take place on the occasion of this decree.“, is added in the document.

Likewise, it makes it clear that the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit will allocate resources according to budget availability and what is established in the Medium Term Fiscal Framework and Medium Term Expenditure Framework of the Transportation Sector.

And that it will correspond to the Ministry of Transport, Invías and ANI to develop a plan that allows the reinstatement of toll rates no later than December 31, 2024, “with the purpose of standardizing the estimated tariff scheme for that moment“.

Decree 050 orders that Invías must “carry out financial planning and estimate the necessary budget items to guarantee the continuity of the related services under his responsibilitywith the provisions of the document.

For his part, he tells the ANI that it should attend contingencies that are generated “in concession projects or public-private associations with the resources available in the infrastructure sub-account of the Contingency Fund of State Entities, under the terms established in Law 448 of 1998 and its regulatory decrees“.

And, the same entity, will have to manage the contributions for the resources corresponding to the Contingency Fund of the State Entities.

Finally, to the Ministry of Transport, together with Invías and ANI, and with the support of the Ministry of Finance, “They must analyze and implement alternative mechanisms tending to recognize the toll rate adjustments that may take place on the occasion of this decree and in accordance with current and applicable regulations.“.

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