Germany and Colombia Advance Negotiations on Bilateral Social Security Agreement
First round of talks held in Berlin, January 26-30, 2026
February 10th, 2026
Between January 26 and 30, 2026, Colombia and Germany successfully conducted the first round of negotiations for a Bilateral Social Security Agreement at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in Berlin. The talks marked an important step toward establishing a framework that guarantees social protection rights for migrant workers from both countries and reflects the shared commitment of Colombia and Germany to further deepen their bilateral cooperation.
Twenty Colombian and German negotiators participated in the five-day negotiations, including expert officials from the respective Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Ministries of Labour and Social Affairs, as well as representatives from Colpensiones and German federal and regional pension and social security institutions. Discussions focused on the basis and structure of an agreement that would ensure equal treatment of workers, the totalization of contribution periods for pensions, and the exportability of benefits, thereby enabling periods of work completed in either country to be combined for access to pension entitlements. This first round followed two exploratory virtual sessions held in February and November 2025, with a second and final round of negotiations scheduled to take place in Colombia in March, paving the way for ministerial-level signature.
The Colombian Ambassador to Germany, Yadir Salazar Mejía, noted that the negotiations bring both countries closer to an agreement that would benefit approximately 22,000 Colombians currently contributing to the German social security system, as well as German citizens contributing to the Colombian pension system. He emphasized that the agreement would represent a milestone in bilateral relations by facilitating labour mobility, strengthening social ties between both societies, and generating positive economic impacts. Ambassador Salazar Mejía also acknowledged the support of Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio and Labour Minister Antonio Sanguino in advancing the exploratory phase and consolidating the first round of negotiations. From the German side, Holger Winkler, Deputy Director for European Union and International Labour and Social Security Policy, highlighted that the negotiations demonstrate the fruitful cooperation between the two countries and their shared determination to deepen bilateral relations in an increasingly globalized world.
German officials further recalled that while informal exchanges on a potential social security agreement had taken place in 2016, the necessary conditions for formal negotiations were not yet in place at that time. Holger Winkler commended the strong commitment of Ambassador Salazar Mejía and the Colombian negotiating delegation, led by Soraya Pino, Director of Pensions and Other Benefits at the Colombian Ministry of Labour, for their detailed presentation of Colombia’s social security system. The Colombian negotiating team also includes Jhon Jairo Camargo, International Legal Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who underlined that the process deepens the longstanding friendship between Colombia and Germany and extends cooperation into key areas of labour and social affairs. He added that consultations with the Colombian community would be organized to ensure that the agreement benefits the widest possible number of citizens in both countries.
Both sides expressed confidence that the progress achieved in Berlin provides a solid foundation for the upcoming second round of negotiations and the subsequent signing of the agreement. According to Moira Kettner, Director of the Department for Coordination of Social Law Systems at the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and chief negotiator for Germany, the consensus reached demonstrates that Colombia and Germany are well prepared to move forward toward a comprehensive bilateral social security agreement that will strengthen social protection and mobility for citizens of both nations.
