By Presidential Decree No. 256 dated on May 8, 2024, the Agency for Regulation and Control of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (“ARCERNNR”) was ordered to be split into three new agencies: Mining Regulation and Control Agency (“ARCOM”), Electricity Regulation and Control Agency (“ARCONEL”) and Hydrocarbons Regulation and Control Agency (“ARCH”).
The Customs Authority (SENAE) issued Bulletin 71-2024 on April 12, informing foreign trade operators of the codes to be applied in the import of the following goods to avoid the payment of VAT and Excise Tax: Unmanned aerial vehicle (Drone), animals for human consumption and electric vehicles.
By Resolution No. 036 of February 28, 2024, published in Official Registry 521 on March 19, 2024, the Attorney General of the State issued the new Regulations to the Mediation Center of the Attorney General's Office.
On April 17, 2024, Executive Decree No. 226 was issued, which establishes, among others, the suspension of the working day on April 18 and 19, 2024.
On March 21, 2024, the Ministry of Labor issued Ministerial Agreement No. MDT-2024-041, published in Official Registry No. 526 of March 26, 2024, which regulates the administrative visto bueno process.
On March 28, 2024, the Council of Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS) appointed Fabrizio Roberto Peralta Díaz as the Data Protection Authority for 2024-2029.
Through Resolution NAC-DGERCGC24-000000013 issued on March 28, 2024, the Tax Authority established the following list of construction supplies that are subject to a 5% Value Added Tax rate, if transferred locally.
On February 29, 2024, the Ministry of Labor, through Ministerial Agreement No. MDT-2024-030 published in the Official Gazette of March 14, 2024, issued the guidelines for the application of Article 47.1 of the Labor Code, regarding the reduction of working hours in the tourism sector.
Through Executive Decree 206 of March 21, 2024, published in the Third Supplement of the Official Registry 524 of March 22, 2024, the President amended the Law of the National Public Procurement System Regulations.
Through Executive Decree 198 issued on March 15, 2024, the President of the Republic modified the Value Added Tax rate to 15% for the year 2024. The new tax rate will apply starting from April 1, 2024.
The Law to Address the Internal Armed Conflict, Social and Economic Crisis was enacted by Official Registry Supplement No. 516 of March 12, 2024.
On March 6th, the Ministry of Energy and Mines issued the Manual for the Operationalization of Free and Informed Prior Consultation, recognized in Article 57, paragraph 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador. The purpose of the Manual is to develop the constitutional standards for the operationalization of consultation. These standards have been established by the Constitutional Court and international treaties.