In the late 1990s the Andean Community undertook steps to enhance trade relations with the Central American countries.

Colombia and the Northern Triangle countries -- El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras -- initiated negotiations towards a free trade agreement in June 2006. The framework and timing, set out in a document regarding negotiations between Colombia and Guatemala, states that there should be six negotiating rounds and that the negotiations should conclude within a year.

The negotiations were concluded on 16 March 2007 after six rounds of negotiations and two meetings of the working groups on market access. On 9 August 2007 Colombia and El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras signed the agreement.

Documents relating to the negotiations
09 August 2007	Medellin, Colombia. Colombia and the Northern Triangle countries sign FTA
16 March 2007	Sonsonate, El Salvador. Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations ended
19-23 February 2007	Medellin, Colombia. Meeting to continue Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
08 December 2006	Antigua, Guatemala. Round 6 of Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
03 November 2006	San Salvador, El Salvador. Round 5 of Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
22-29 September 2006	Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Round 4 of Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
11 September 2006	Colombia: Nonconforming measures, services and investment Annex I Annex 2 Annex 3
30 August 2006	Colombia: interests in the negotiations: Government Procurement Investment Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Rules of Origin Technical Barriers to Trade Institutional Aspects Trade Facilitation Agriculture Services Non-agricultural Market Access Trade Defense Measures
18 August 2006	Medellín, Colombia. Round 3 of Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
11-14 July 2006	Guatemala City, Guatemala. Round 2 of Colombia-Northern TriangleFTA negotiations
05 June 2006	Colombia and Guatemala sign Investment promotion and protection agreement
05-09 June 2006	Bogotá, Colombia. Round 1 of Colombia-Northern Triangle FTA negotiations
June 2006	General Framework for a free trade agreement between Guatemala and Colombia
Source: Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, República de Colombia; Ministerio de Economía de El Salvador

On 20 February 2008, the Government of Colombia forwarded the text of the Colombia - El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras Free Trade Agreement to the Senate. The Government of Colombia forwarded the agreement to the Senate on 20 February 2008. The Colombian Senate and House Commissions and the Colombia House of Representatives approved the agreement on 7 May 2008 and 4 June 2008 respectively.

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved the free trade agreement on 21 August 2008.

Documents relating to the entry into force
21 August 2008	El Salvador's Legislative Assembly approves FTA
04 June 2008	Colombian House of Representatives approves FTA
07 May 2008	Colombian Senate and House Commissions approve FTA
20 February 2008	Colombia forwards text of the agreement to the Senate
Source: Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, República de Colombia

• Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, República de Colombia
• Ministerio de Economía de El Salvador