Through Ministry of Economy Resolution 11/2013, published in the Official Gazette on January 25 2013, the government abrogated the non-automatic licence required for the import of over 600 products, ranging from textiles and footwear to luxury cars and agricultural equipment.
The resolution derogates all previous resolutions related to these licences as from the date of its issuance. These derogated resolutions, which date back to 2005, had become unnecessary after the February 2012 introduction of the advance import affidavit (another non-automatic import licence applicable to all products included in the Mercosur Common Tariff Schedule).
This abrogation should therefore not be considered a relaxation of Argentina's tough protectionist policies, since the requirement to obtain an advance import affidavit remains in place (alongside the somewhat murky procedure for obtaining such affidavits from the secretary of commerce). The resolution simply abrogates the requirement to obtain a second set of non-automatic licences for those 600 products that required both an advance import affidavit and a non-automatic import licence.
While the move may help to reduce the bureaucratic nightmare associated with importing products into the country, it should not be mistaken for liberalisation of the foreign trade sector. Some days before the resolution was issued, the government announced an increase in import duties to 35% for a range of products, including motorcycles, computers, coffee and bijouterie, among others (many of which were affected by the now abrogated non-automatic import licence).
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]).
This article was first published by the International Law Office, a premium online legal update service for major companies and law firms worldwide. Register for a free subscription.
