On September 4 2012 the government published Resolution 505 of the Ministry of Economy and Public Finances in the Official Gazette, under which it has abolished the automatic licences required for the import of a substantial number of goods.
While not as controversial as non-automatic licences and sworn import affidavits (for further information please see "Argentina keeps restricting imports"), automatic licences were still the cause of delays in the customs clearance process of shipments that contained goods subject to them.
With the introduction of sworn import affidavits in February 2012 for all goods imported into Argentina (a non-automatic licence introduced for the ostensible purpose of keeping track of international trade flows), automatic licences ceased to have any reason to exist.
Although the demise of automatic licences does not automatically represent an improvement in the obstacles currently affecting imports, it should at least reduce the workload associated with the customs clearance of many goods for which, before the introduction of the resolution, both a sworn import affidavit and an automatic licence were required.
For further information on this topic please contact Esteban P Rópolo at Baker & McKenzie SC by telephone (+54 11 4310 2200), fax (+54 11 4310 2299) or email ([email protected]).
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