G/LIC/N/3/ARG/15  
19 September  2019 
(19-6053) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON  
IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE  7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT  
ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  
NOTIFICATION FOR  2019 
ARGENTINA  
The following communication, dated 9 September  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the Argentin e Republic . 
 
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Outline of systems  
1. Argentina currently has two types of import licensing regime, one automatic and the other 
non-automatic, both of which are establi shed under Resolution No. 523/20171 of the Secretariat for 
Trade of the Ministry of Production, as amended by Secretariat for Trade Resolutions No. 898/2017, 
No. 5-E/2018, No. 170/2018, No. 507/2018 and No. 526/2018.  
 
Purposes and coverage of licensing  
2. Goods classified under all MERCOSUR Common Nomenclature (NCM) tariff headings and intended 
for definitive entry for consumption are subject to automatic import licensing , with the exception of 
those listed in Annexes II to  XVII to Resolution No. 523/2017 of the Secretariat for Trade of the 
Ministry of Production, as clarified and amended by Secretariat for Trade Resolutions No. 898/2017, 
No. 5-E/2018, No. 170/2018, No. 507/2018 and No. 526/2018, which are subject to non-automatic 
import licensing . 
 
3. Both types of licence apply to goods of all origins, without distinction.  
 
4. The import licensing is not intended to restrict either the quantity or the value of imports.  
 
5. The purpose of the automatic licensing regime is to obtain an advance supply of descriptive 
statistical information for the historical records.  
 
The purpose of the non -automatic licensing regime is to establish an appropriate prior verification 
system for ensuring compliance with the conditions governing the importat ion of goods, in 
accordance with the provisions of Annexes II to XVII to Resolution No.  523/2017 of the Secretariat 
for Trade of the Ministry of Production, as amended by Secretariat for Trade Resolutions 
No. 898/2017, No. 5-E/2018, No. 170/2018, No. 507/2 018 and No. 526/2018.  
 
- Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 523/2017 , published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Republic on 7  July 2017.  
- Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 898/2017 , published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Republic  on 30 November  2017. 
                                                
1 The Resolution is available for consultation at:  
http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/275000 -279999/276625/norma.htm . G/LIC/N/3/ARG/15  
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  - Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 5-E/2018 , published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Republic on 1 1 January  2018. 
- Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  170/2018,  published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Repub lic on 2 8 March  2018. 
- Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  507/2018 , published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Republic on 3 1 August  2018. 
- Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  526/2018 , published in the Official Journal of the 
Argentine Republ ic on 7 September  2018. 
 
The executive branch does not need legislative approval to abolish the licensing regime.  
 
Procedures  
6. I-XI. Not applicable . The import licensing regime established pursuant to the above -mentioned 
resolution s is not subject to quotas.  
 
7.(a)(b) Licences must be presented before the goods are cleared . The time limits for obtaining 
licences meet the requirements laid down in the regulations in force and fall within the 
maximum periods stipulated in Article 2.2(a )(iii), for automatic licensing , and Article 3.5(f), 
for non-automatic licensing , of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.  
 
(c) There are no limitations as to the period of the year during which a licence application and/or 
importation may be made.  
 
(d) Pursuant to Resolution No. 523/2017, the National Directorate for Foreign Trade Facilitation, 
attached to the Undersecretariat of Foreign Trade of the Secretariat for Trade of the Ministry 
of Production, is the authority responsible for implementing the import licensing regime and 
may, at any time during the procedure, request the involvement of competent technical 
bodies, in accordance with Article 5 of the said Resolution.  
 
Importers submitting applications for automatic import licences are required  to use the 
Comprehensive Import Monitoring System (SIMI), as approved by General Resolution 
No. 4.185 of 8 January  2018 of the Federal Public Revenue Administration (AFIP) and the 
amendments thereto, and to provide the information specified in Annex I to Secretariat for 
Trade Resolution No. 523/2017, as clarified and amended by Secretariat for Trade Resolutions 
No. 898/2017, No. 5-E/2018, No. 170/2018 , No. 507/2018 and No. 526/2018.  
 
To obtain a non -automatic licence, importers are first of all required to  complete the automatic 
licensing procedure . They must then, within ten (10) working days, access the AFIP website 
(http://www.afip.gob.ar/sitio/externos/default.asp ), by entering their indi vidual tax 
identification number ( Clave Única de Identificación Tributaria , CUIT) and password 
(clave fiscal), and use the interactive service " SC-Solicitud de contacto " (contact request) to 
provide the information specified in point 2 of Annexes II to XVI I to Secretariat for Trade 
Resolution No. 523/2017, depending on the goods concerned.  
 
If the service " SC Solicitud de contacto " is not enabled, the importer should select the option 
"Administrador de relaciones con clave fiscal " (administrator with password) and click either 
on "Adherir servicio " (register for a service) or, if the importer wishes to authorize a third  party 
to manage the application process, on " Nueva relación " (new authorization) . They should then 
click on the lo go of the " Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas Públicas " (Ministry of the Economy 
and Public Finance), then on " Servicios interactivos " (interactive services) and finally on 
"SC-Solicitud de contacto " (contact request).  
 
8. The only reason for refusal is fai lure by applicants to meet the requirements set forth in the 
relevant regulations . Applicants are duly informed of the reasons for any refusal.  All applicants have 
the right to plead an excuse before the assessment body.  
 
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence  
9. All persons, firms and institutions engaged in import activities and entered as such in the 
AFIP Register of Importers are eligible to apply for import licences.  
 G/LIC/N/3/ARG/15  
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  Documentational and other requirements for application for licence  
10.-11. All the information that importers are required to provide for import licence applications is 
set out in Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 523/2017 . The required forms and documents are 
available at http://ww w.afip.gob.ar/simi . 
 
12. Import licences are processed free of charge.  
 
13. There is no deposit or advance payment requirement associated with the issue of import licences.  
 
Conditions of licensing  
14. Licences are valid for one  hundred  and eighty (180) ca lendar days from the date of their approval 
in the Comprehensive Import Monitoring System (SIMI) . They may be extended only once.  
 
15. There are no penalties for the non -utilization of a licence or portion of a licence.  
 
16. Import licences are non -transferable.  
 
17.(a) Not applicable.  
 
(b) No, only the requirements set forth in the regulations in force.  
 
Other procedural requirements  
18. Certificates of compliance or exemption certificates, as appropriate, must be obtained in advance 
via the Integrated Foreign Trade System (SISCO) for goods covered by Resolution No. 220/2003 
(and the amendments and regulations thereto) and Resolution No. 153/2005 (and the amendments 
thereto) of the former Secretariat of Industry, Trade and Small and Medium -Sized Enterprises of the 
former Ministry of the Economy and Production.  
 
19. There is no relation between the import licensing regime and the foreign curr ency exchange 
system.  
 
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