G/LIC/N/3/ARG/16  
10 February  2021 
(21-1113) Page: 1/4 
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 2020  
ARGENTINA  
The following communication, a first draft of which was received on 1 7 November  2020, is being 
circulated at the request of the delegation of the Argentine Republic for Members' information.  
 
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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 established under Resolution No.  523/2 017 of the former Secretariat 
for Trade of  the former Ministry of Production, and the amend ments thereto, former Secretariat for 
Trade Resolutions No.  898/2017, No.  5-E/2018, No. 170/2018, No.  507/2018 and No.  526/2018, 
Secretariat for Industry, the Knowledge Economy and Foreign Trade Management Resolutions No.  
1/2020 and No. 133/2020 , and Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provisions No.  
3/2020, No. 5/2020, No. 9/2020, No. 10/2020, No. 29/2020 and No. 30/2020.  
 
Purposes and coverage of licensing  
2. Goods classified under all MERCOSUR Common Nomenclature (NCM) tariff headi ngs and intended 
for definitive entry for consumption are subject to automatic import licensing , with the exception of 
those listed in Annexes II to  XIV to Resolution No.  523/2017 of the former Secretariat for Trade of 
the former Ministry of Production, as  clarified and amended by former Secretariat for Trade 
Resolutions No.  898/2017, No.  5-E/2018, No.  170/2018, No.  507/2018 and No.  526/2018, 
Secretariat for Industry, the Knowledge Economy and Foreign Trade Management Resolutions No.  
1/2020 and No. 133/2020 , and Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provisions No.  
3/2020, No. 5/2020, No. 9/2020, No. 10/2020, No. 29/2020 and No. 30/2020, which are subject to 
non-automatic import licensing . 
 
3. Both types of licence apply to goods of all origins, without distinction.  
 
4. Import licensing is not intended to restrict either the quantity or the value of imports . The purpose 
of the automatic licensing regime is to obtain an advance supply of descriptive statistical information 
for the historic al 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 
importation of goods, in accordance with the provisions of Annexes II to XIV to  Resolution No.  
523/2017 of the former Secretariat for Trade of the former Ministry of Production and the 
supplementary and amending regulations thereto.  
 
5. Argentina's import licensing regime is based on the following legislation:  
 G/LIC/N/3/ARG/16  
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  - Former Secretariat f or Trade Resolution No.  523/2017 (Official Journal 7/7/2017).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/275000 -279999/276625/texact.htm  
- Former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  898/2017 (Official Journal 30/11/2017).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/290000 -294999/293790/n orma.htm  
- Former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  5-E/2018 (Official Journal 11/1/2018).  
http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/30 5000-309999/305752/norma.htm  
- Former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  507/2018 (Official Journal 31/8/2018).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInte rnet/anexos/310000 -314999/313979/texact.htm  
- Former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  526/2018 (Official Journal 7/9/2018).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/310000 -314999/314238/norma.htm  
- Secretariat for Industry, the Knowledge Economy and Foreign Trade Management R esolution 
No. 1/2020 (Official Journal 9/1/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/330000 -334999/333822/norma.htm  
- Secretariat for I ndustry, the Knowledge Economy and Foreign Trade Management Resolution 
No. 133/2020 (Official Journal 5/8/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegIntern et/anexos/340000 -344999/340705/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provision  No. 3/2020 (Official Journal 
12/3/2020).  
 http://servi cios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000 -339999/335387/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provision  No. 5/2020 (Official Journal 
18/3/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000 -339999/335690/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provision  No. 9/2020 (Officia l Journal 
20/5/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000 -339999/337775/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Poli cy and Managem ent Provision  No. 10/2020 (Official Journal 
22/5/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/335000 -339999/337892/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provision No.  29/2020 (Official Journal 
21/10/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/340000 -344999/343411/norma.htm  
- Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and Management Provision  No. 30/2020 (Official Journal 
29/10/2020).  
 http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/340000 -344999/343670/norma.htm  
 
The executive branch does not need legislative approval to abolish the licensing regime.  
 
Proced ures 
6. I-XI. Not applicable . The import licensing regime established pursuant to the above -mentioned 
resolutions is not subject to quotas.  
 
7.(a) Licences must be presented before the goods are cleared.  
(b)  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 former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No.  523/2017 , and the amendments 
thereto, the administrative body for the submi ssion of import licence applications and the 
implementing authority for the regime is the Undersecretariat for Trade Policy and 
Management, attached to the Secretariat for Industry, the Knowledge Economy and Foreign 
Trade Management, under the Ministry of Production Development, and may, at any time 
during the procedure, request the involvement of the competent technical bodies, in 
accordance with Article 5  of the said Resolution.  
8. The only reason for refusal is failure by applicants to meet the requireme nts 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.  G/LIC/N/3/ARG/16  
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  Eligibility of importers to apply for licence  
9. All persons, firms and ins titutions engaged in import activities and entered as such in the AFIP  
Register of Importers are eligible to apply for import licences . To obtain a non -automatic licence, 
registration in the Single Register of the Ministry of Production (RUMP), established  pursuant to 
former Ministry of Production Resolution No. 442/2016 (Official Journal 8/9/2016) is also required.  
 
Documentational and other requirements for application for licence  
10. Importers submitting applications for automatic import licences are req uired to use the 
Comprehensive Import Monitoring System (SIMI), as approved by Joint General Resolution No.  
4.185 -E/2018 of the Federal Public Revenue Administration and the former Secretariat for Trade, 
published in the Official Journal on 8 January  2018, and to provide the information specified in Annex  
I to former Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 523/2017 and the supplementing and amending 
regulations thereto.  
 
In addition to meeting the indicated requirement for automatic licences, interested parties 
submitting applications for non -automatic import licences must be enrolled on the register created 
under former Ministry of P roduction Resolution No. 42/2016  (Official Journal of 9 September  2016) 
and enter into the system, for the tariff headings of the goods to be imported, the information 
indicated in Annexes II to XIV to former Ministry of Production Resolution No. 523/2017 and the 
supplementing and amending regulations thereto.  
 
This infor mation, as well as the tariff headings subject to the non -automatic licensing system, can 
be found in the updated text of Resolution No. 523/2017 available at:  
 
http://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/275000 -279999/276625/texact.htm  
 
In the event that the established requirements are not duly met, the interested party must submit 
the requested information within ten (10) working days of "Req uerimiento Art. 4" ("Article  4 
request") being displayed in the system . If the deadline passes and a response has not been 
received, the procedure will automatically be cancelled and its status reflected in the system as "Baja 
Art. 4" ("Article 4 cancellat ion").  
 
For goods subject to non -automatic import licensing, the implementing authority may require the 
importer to provide any information and/or additional documents listed in Annex  XV to Resolution 
No. 523/2017 and the amendments thereto . It may also re quest the intervention of  the competent 
technical bodies or  use background information from its own sources or those of third parties, and 
require, should it be deemed necessary, clarifications . This information must be submitted within 
the time limits and  conditions laid down in Article  6 of Resolution No. 523/2017 and its amending 
and supplementing regulations.  
 
11. All the information that importers are required to provide for import licence applications is set 
out in former Secretariat for Trade Resolut ion No.  523/2017 and the amendments thereto . The 
required forms and documents can be found at http://www.afip.gob.ar/simi . 
 
12. Import licences are processed free of charge.  
 
13. There is no deposit or advance p ayment requirement associated with the issue of import licences.  
 
Conditions of licensing  
14. Import licences are valid for ninety (90) calendar days from the date of their approval in the 
SIMI. This period may be extended by the implementing authority, at the request of the interested 
party, with at least fifteen (15) days prior to expiry, and for good reason.  
 
15. There are no penalties for the non -utilization of a licence or portion of a licence.  
 
16. Import licences are non -transferable.  G/LIC/N/3/ARG/16  
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  17.(a) Not applicable.  
 
(b) No, only the requirements set forth in the above -mentioned regulations.  
 
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 the pro visions of former 
Secretariat for  Industry, Trade and Small and Medium -Sized Enterprises of the former Ministry of 
the Economy and Production Resolutions No.  220/2003 and No. 153/2005 and the amendments and 
regulations thereto.  
 
19. There is no relation between the import licensing regime and the foreign currency exchange 
system.  
 
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