HomeInvestor Services Procedures Pre-operational licenses Services Shared Services

Shared Services

Description scope of the subsector

What are Shared Services?

Shared Services refer to the installation of administrative equipment in the national territory, which offer support to businesses where the company has a presence. This investment model allows the company to reduce costs and centralize services.

Colombia has an industry of Shared Service Centers - CSC. They also have experience in the attention of specialized solutions in human resources, finance, supply, logistics, technology, general and administrative services, and digital transformation, among others, ensuring the highest levels of efficiency and strategic support that these companies require.

Why invest in Shared Services Colombia?

Colombia is a market that registers growth and macroeconomic stability and investor trust. The country ranks third in A.T. Kearney's Latin American service location indicator and is among the top 30 destination countries in offshore services (Gartner).

It has a privileged strategic location in the middle of five time zones, sharing a time slot with important business centers such as New York, Toronto, and Miami. The country is located in the middle of the main commercial and financial poles of the hemisphere, and shares patterns of cultural affinity relevant to consolidate operations in the region. In addition, it is recognized for having a culture of natural service.

*Please note: for specific information on each sub-sector, please refer to the Pre-operational Licenses and Infrastructure Construction procedures.

The other procedures of the investment cycle - Business Creation, Real Estate Purchase, Migration, and Personnel Recruitment - are multi-sector and standard for all investment sub-sectors.

Formalities and administrative procedures to be carried out:

Here you can consult each of the steps and requirements for Pre-operational licenses

Administrative steps

1 - Request the review of the fire protection system

Through this procedure you can obtain a technical concept on the fire protection system and human safety conditions.

Requirements

What do I need to request the review of the fire protection system?

You need the certificate of existence and legal representation
Payment of ICA Tax (Industry and Commerce Tax)

Steps

What steps to follow once I have all the documents?

File the documents with the Fire Department to request a visit to review the fire protection system

Virtuality

Where can I go?

This procedure will be done in person at the Regional Fire Department, you can also obtain information about the process on the web or by phone

Costs

What is the cost of this procedure?

COP $65.376

Time

How long does this procedure take?

45 working days

Regulations

What regulations must I comply with?

Law 1575 of 2012. Whereby the General Law of Firefighters of Colombia is established (article 9) (Ordinary Law).

Law 1575 of 2012. Through which the General Firefighters Law of Colombia is established (article 42) (Ordinary Law).

Resolution 661 of 2014 of the Ministry of the Interior - National Firefighters Board of Colombia. By which the administrative regulation is adopted.

2 - Register your trademark with the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce

The objective of this procedure is to register the trademark of the company before the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce in Colombia SIC

Requirements

What do I need to apply for the Trademark Registration?

STAGES	TERM
1. Submission of the application	Does not apply
2. The application is admitted for processing and the filing date is assigned	Does not apply
3. Examination of form	Does not apply
3.1. If there is any formal error, the SIC issues a requirement and a term to correct it is granted.	60 working days following the notification
4. The SIC orders the publication of the application in the Industrial Property Gazette.	Does not apply
5. A term is granted for interested third parties to oppose the application for registration.	30 working days after the date of publication
6. Additional time is granted (if requested) to submit evidence to support the opposition	30 working days after the expiration of the deadline for oppositions
7. A time limit is granted to the applicant to reply to the opposition	30 working days following the notification of the opposition
8. An additional time limit is granted (if requested) for submitting evidence in support of the opposition.	30 working days after the expiration of the opposition deadline
9. The SIC makes the substantive examination of the application and of the opposition(s) -if applicable-	N/A
10. Filing of the appeal against the decision of the SIC	10 working days from the day following the day of notification of the decision

Steps

What steps to follow once I have all the documents for the Trademark Registration?

Gather the required documentation
Make the payment
File the application
Attend to the request for the formal review process of the documents attached with the application and the correction of the same, if necessary.
Consider the response of oppositions (such oppositions are filed by whoever has a legitimate interest in invalidating the trademark registration, due to possible risk of confusion or association).

Virtuality

Where can I go?

You can initiate, follow up, pay, and finalize the process by obtaining the documents through the website of the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce.

Costs

What is the cost of this procedure?

COP$1.003.500

Based on the price rates of trademarks that are updated annually and can be paid online or physically.

Time

How long does this process take?

Between 180 and 210 days

Regulations

What regulations must I comply with?

Decision 486 of 2000, The Commission of the Andean Community (Art. 134) (Supranational standard with the rank of law).

Resolution 63360 of 2021

3 - Apply for the authorization of business integrations

This authorization will allow the investor to acquire control of one or several companies, or to acquire control of one company in an existing company or to create a new company in order to develop activities jointly.

The Colombian competition regime provides that business integrations or concentrations that meet certain conditions must be reported to the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC), which is the national competition protection authority.

The term business integration is broad and includes mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, collaboration or joint venture agreements or any other type of agreement or transaction whereby one company acquires control over another and competition in the market ceases, through the consolidation of two market players into one.

When the parties have a joint participation of less than 20% in the relevant market, the integration operation is understood to be automatically authorized by virtue of the law, but in any case, it must be notified to the SIC before it is carried out, and the SIC reserves the right to review the assumptions of event considered by the parties.

When the parties have a joint participation of more than 20% in the relevant market, the transaction must be approved by the SIC in order to be conducted.

Requirements

What do I need to request the integration of companies?

Business integrations must be reported to the SIC when the following assumptions are met:

Subjective assumption: the companies involved in the operation are engaged in the same economic activity (horizontal integration); or that the companies involved in the operation are part of the same value chain (vertical integration).
Objective assumption: The companies that meet any of the subjective assumptions have had, jointly or individually, operating revenues in excess of 60,000 legal monthly minimum wages in force (for the year 2021 COP$ 54,511,560,000; approximately USD 14,833,077) in the year immediately preceding the transaction; or that the companies that meet any of the subjective assumptions have had total assets, jointly or individually, in excess of 60,000 legal monthly minimum wages in force (for the year 2021 COP$ 54,511,560,000; approximately USD 14,833,077) in the year immediately preceding the transaction.
Notification document
In case of having an approved power of attorney, submit the powers of attorney and certificates of existence and legal representation of all the intervening companies

Steps

What are the steps to apply for business integration?

Gather the required documentation (pre-evaluation application and additional information if required)
Make the payment
File the application with the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce

Virtuality

Where can I go?

You can initiate, follow up and finalize the procedure and/or service online through the website of the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce SIC

Costs

What is the cost of this procedure?

To file a notification: COP$2,620,000 (approximately US$750). To file a pre-evaluation request: COP$14,200,000 (approximately USD4,100).

If the SIC determines that the transaction presents competitive concerns it is necessary to initiate Phase 2, which depending on the operating income or total assets of the parties that are in the process of integration, must assume higher fees ranging from COP$26,160,000 (approximately USD7,500), up to COP$37,380,000 (approximately USD10,800).

Time

How long does this process take?

135 calendar days approximately

Regulations

What regulations must I comply with?

Law 1340 of 2009 (Article 9) (Ordinary Law)

Circular 1 of 2001 of the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce, Chapter Two of Title VII (Number 3) (Administrative Act).

Resolution 2103 of 2021