Visit of European Commissioner Michael McGrath to the SIC
The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) received on January 29, 2026, a visit from European Commissioner Michael McGrath, responsible for Democracy, Justice, Rule of Law and Consumer Protection of the European Commission, who made an official technical visit to Colombia between January 28 and 30, 2026.
Within the framework of this visit, Commissioner McGrath held a high-level meeting with Superintendent Cielo Rusinque at the Superintendence headquarters, where issues of great relevance for strengthening bilateral cooperation between the European Union and Colombia were addressed.
Background
This meeting originated from the contact established in 2025 with Mr. Alexandre Mateus, head of the Business Area of the European Commission in Colombia (EU Delegation in Bogotá), within the framework of a request for information on the TAIEX Technical Cooperation Program. It was Mr. Mateus who formally made the meeting request, informing that Commissioner McGrath would make a technical visit to Colombia with several entities, including the SIC.
The final meeting agenda was confirmed on January 23, 2026, after a coordination process between the SIC International Affairs Working Group and the European Union Delegation.
Commissioner's portfolio context
Commissioner Michael McGrath assumed his position on December 1, 2024. His mandate covers personal data protection and enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consumer protection within the framework of the Consumer Agenda 2025-2030, digital fairness, the Rule of Law, international judicial cooperation, and artificial intelligence regulation from the consumer rights perspective.
Topics discussed
The meeting between Superintendent Rusinque and Commissioner McGrath focused on three thematic areas:
- Data Protection Reform: The status of the reform of Colombian personal data protection regulations and the perspective of establishing an independent Data Protection Authority in the country were analyzed. Additionally, the adequacy process by the European Commission regarding Colombia was discussed, and the general landscape of EU-Colombia cooperation frameworks in personal data and cross-border information flow was reviewed, including cooperation with Eurojust.
- Consumer Protection and Product Safety: The parties exchanged perspectives on areas of mutual interest for cooperation and the exchange of best practices in consumer rights protection and product safety standards. At this point, the European delegation presented the Digital Fairness Act, a regulatory instrument that seeks to protect consumers in digital environments.
These topics present significant convergence with the SIC competencies, particularly with the functions of the Delegated Superintendence of Personal Data Protection and the Delegated Superintendence of Consumer Protection.
Finally, the Superintendent shared the following photographic record on social media:
