COLMOD, tax-Benefit microsimulation model for Colombia

The first version of the model includes cash transfers, contributions to social security by workers and income taxes for 2014 was completed in 2017. An extension with indirect taxes and contributions to social security by employers, as well as the set of tax rules for 2015-2016, was finalizes in July 2018.

The third version, which is under construction, includes the policy rules for 2017-2018 and uses two new data bases: (i) Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares (GEIH), (ii) Encuesta Nacional de Presupuesto de los Hogares (ENPH). This project is funded by Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), led by Institute for Social Economic Research (ISER) of Essex University and has the support of Externado University as a national collaborator.

Terms of Use

The model for Colombia is available to researchers and other people or entities interested in working whit this data. To access the files, it is necessary to fill out the application instructions and terms of use and send them to the email colmod@uexternado.edu.co.

You can download the applications instruction and terms of use HERE

Tax-benefit microsimulation model to face inequality in Colombia

Given the levels of inequality and poverty in Colombia and Latin America, and the growing increase in public policies aimed at addressing these social problems, this initiative in carried out to fully evaluate ex-ante the impact of public policy on reducing poverty. The project is part of the definitions of ideas and activities to face the challenge of human rights, good governance and social justice proposed by the Global Challenges Research Fund.

The project includes three stages. In the first stage, three researchers from Externado University benefited from practical training in the use of EUROMOD. They received instructions from ISER researchers who have worked on development and permanent improvement of the software and who are also conducting frontier research in economic and social policy whit microsimulation models.

This was Essex’s visit
to the Externado

The second stage, an event-workshop, was held from April 23-24, 2019, at Externado University. ISER researchers discussed their microsimulation work and its application to Colombia. A panel discussion with experts on poverty, inequality, and social policy considering the microsimulation models was carried out successfully.

In the final part of the event there was a practical session on microsimulations using the Colombian model operated by EUROMOD. Practical exercises were developed that allowed those registered to know the scope of the tool. Policy makers, researchers in social and economic policy and students were the assisting group.

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Experts discussed
public policies and inequality

Finally, the third stage consists of updating the tax-benefit microsimulation model for Colombia by researchers from the Externado University. These are the components of the update:

1. Updated version of the Colombian model with the policy rules for 2017-2018 available to the public in June 2019 with data from the Encuesta Nacional de Calidad de Vida ECV.
2. A new country report for this updated version of the model including a validation of the simulated instruments respect to official statistics.
3. A research note analysing the effect of policy changes in 2017-2018 on income distribution in Colombia.
4. Adaptation of the model to work with la Gran Encuesta Integrada de Hogares GEIHy con la Encuesta Nacional de Presupuesto de los Hogares ENPH