Spanish Abstract: La Constitucion Politica de Colombia de 1991 implemento herramientas de planeacion economica para alcanzar el desarrollo economico en el largo plazo. Sin embargo, establecio que cada Gobierno debe implementar un Plan Nacional de Desarrollo. Este escrito explica la interpretacion legal de la expresion “largo plazo” en un contexto en que las herramientas regulatorias tambien son relevantes para alcanzar los objetivos del desarrollo economico. English Abstract: The Colombian Constitution of 1991 implemented planning tools to achieve economic development in the long term. However it established as a development strategy the implementation of a National Development Plan for every 4 year goverment period. This essay explains what legally must be interpreted for “long term” in a context where regulatory tools are seen as relevant to achieve development goals.