Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Chile)
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| Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Chile) | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Chile) |
| Native name | Ministerio de Economía, Fomento y Turismo |
| Formed | 2010 (current name) |
| Preceding1 | Ministry of Economy, Development and Reconstruction |
| Jurisdiction | Santiago, Chile |
| Headquarters | La Moneda Palace |
| Minister | See list below |
Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism (Chile) The Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism of Chile is the cabinet-level agency responsible for economic policy, industrial development, investment promotion and tourism strategy in the Republic of Chile. It operates within the executive branch led by the President of Chile and interacts with agencies such as the Central Bank of Chile, Servicio de Impuestos Internos, Corporación de Fomento de la Producción and regional authorities like the Intendencias and Seremis.
History
The ministry traces its origins to earlier portfolios created during the administrations of Eduardo Frei Montalva, Salvador Allende and Augusto Pinochet when institutions for industrial policy and commerce were reorganized alongside entities such as the Comité de Inversiones and Oficina de Estudios y Políticas Agrarias. The modern ministry was shaped significantly under the presidencies of Michelle Bachelet and Sebastián Piñera through legislative reforms that consolidated functions previously held by the Chilean Foreign Ministry's trade sections and the Ministry of Public Works' tourism initiatives. Major milestones include responses to the 2010 Chile earthquake's economic impact, reforms tied to the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, and implementation of initiatives aligned with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development following Chile's accession.
Organization and Structure
The ministry comprises several subsecretariats and directorates, including the Subsecretariat of Economy and Small Enterprises, the Subsecretariat of Tourism, and the Subsecretariat of Industry. Attached public services include SERNATUR, CORFO, and regulatory agencies such as the Fiscalización del Mercado offices. The internal organization features directorates for competition policy that liaise with the Tribunal de Defensa de la Libre Competencia, units for consumer protection coordinating with the Servicio Nacional del Consumidor and departments for innovation that partner with universities like Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and University of Chile. Regional offices coordinate with municipal governments like Municipality of Santiago and with provincial governors established under constitutional reforms.
Functions and Responsibilities
The ministry formulates national policies on commerce, industry, services, tourism promotion and entrepreneurship, and supervises regulatory frameworks related to markets. It designs incentive programs implemented by CORFO and sets guidelines for investment promotion alongside ProChile. It oversees tourism certification administered by SERNATUR and coordinates disaster recovery efforts affecting economic activity after events such as the 2015 Northern Chile floods. It also develops competition policy in cooperation with the Fiscal Advisory Council and provides technical assistance to sectors such as mining firms like Codelco and agribusiness exporters represented by ASOEX.
Policy and Programs
Key programs include entrepreneurship accelerators tied to the Start-Up Chile initiative, regional industrial clusters coordinated with ChileCompra procurement policies, and export promotion campaigns run with ProChile and trade negotiators engaged in bilateral agreements like those with China and multilateral frameworks including Pacific Alliance. Tourism promotion campaigns target destinations such as Easter Island, San Pedro de Atacama, and the Chilean Patagonia, while sustainability programs align with environmental standards promoted by the Ministry of Environment (Chile) and academic partners like Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. The ministry has overseen competition law reforms inspired by cases before the Supreme Court of Chile and regulatory adjustments following consultations with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
List of Ministers
Notable ministers have included figures from political parties such as the Christian Democratic Party (Chile), Socialist Party of Chile, National Renewal (Chile), and Independent Democratic Union. Ministers worked with presidents including Ricardo Lagos, Michelle Bachelet, Sebastián Piñera and Gabriel Boric to implement policies affecting entities like CORFO, SERNATUR and ProChile. For a chronological list, consult official government records maintained at La Moneda Palace archives and publications from the Library of the National Congress of Chile.
Budget and Resources
The ministry's budget is allocated through the national budget law ratified by the Chamber of Deputies of Chile and the Senate of Chile, and it finances programs executed by agencies including CORFO and SERNATUR. Resource distribution supports public–private partnerships with firms such as LATAM Airlines for tourism connectivity, infrastructure projects coordinated with the Ministry of Transport and Telecommunications (Chile), and innovation grants for research centers like the Centro de Modelamiento Matemático.
International Relations and Trade Promotion
The ministry works closely with ProChile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Chile), and trade negotiators to advance agreements like the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and bilateral pacts with markets such as United States, European Union and South Korea. It engages with multilateral organizations including the World Trade Organization, the OECD and the Inter-American Development Bank to promote foreign direct investment and support export sectors represented by associations like Sociedad Nacional de Agricultura and Cámara Chilena de la Construcción.