The National Government issued Decree 1418 of September 17, 2026, an economic reactivation measure aimed at injecting liquidity and resilience into the business fabric affected by the earthquake of August 10, 2026. It is effective for one year and applies to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises domiciled in the affected municipalities of the 16 departments covered by the State of Emergency (Antioquia, Caldas, Cauca, Chocó, Quindío, Cundinamarca, Risaralda, Huila, Valle del Cauca, Tolima, Norte de Santander, Bolívar, Nariño, Sucre, Santander and Caquetá). Here are the key takeaways:
- Streamlined corporate restructuring: companies evidencing direct impact may carry out short-form mergers with a qualified majority of share capital, dispose of assets representing half or more of their net equity, and reduce capital upon certification of equity sufficiency. If the company is listed on the National Registry of Securities and Issuers, the special disposal requires prior authorization from the Financial Superintendence.
- Direct capital: shares may be issued without pre-emptive rights to fund working capital or replace assets, with the subscription price supported by a valuation study prepared by an independent third party; dividends may be paid in shares; companies may create, on a one-time basis, shares with a fixed dividend or with single or multiple voting rights (requiring the favorable vote of 70% of subscribed shares); and new companies may extend capital payment to five years.
- Labor relief: companies may create payment shares to settle labor obligations, subject to the limits on payment in kind and the non-waivable nature of employee benefits.
- Chambers of Commerce: they may temporarily allocate statutory contribution funds to reactivation, productive transformation and market access; their boards may amend plans and budgets without prior authorization; and their conciliation and arbitration centers will handle disputes arising from the emergency.
- Simplified evidence: impact is established by consulting public databases, and no documentation obtainable through interoperability may be required. Lack of initial registration does not prevent proving damages by other verifiable means, and for informal or independent workers, UNGRD and municipal records are accepted.
What does this mean for your business? The Decree opens a one-year window to turn the crisis into liquidity and continuity, provided impact and domicile are properly evidenced. If you have questions on this or any other corporate matter, please reach out to our team.
