WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/DS446/1 
G/L/997 
G/AG/GEN/102 
G/LIC/D/43 G/TRIMS/D/33 G/SG/D45/1 G/TBT/D/42 
29 August 2012  
 
 
(12-4650) 
 Original: Spanish 
   
ARGENTINA - MEASURES AFFECTING THE IMPORTATION OF GOODS 
 
Request for Consultations by Mexico 
   The following communication, dated 24 August 2012, from the delegation of Mexico to the 
delegation of Argentina and to the Chairperson of  the Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in 
accordance with Article 4.4 of the DSU.  
_______________ 
 
 
The Government of Mexico hereby requests consultations with the Government of the 
Republic of Argentina ("Argentina"), pursuant to Articles 1 and 4 of the Understanding on Rules and 
Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes , Article XXII of the General Agreement on Tariffs 
and Trade 1994  (GATT 1994), Article 19 of the Agreement on Agriculture , Article 6 of 
the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (ILP Agreement), Article 8 of the Agreement on 
Trade-Related Investment Measures  (TRIMs Agreement), Article 14 of the Agreement on Safeguards , 
and Article 14 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  (TBT Agreement), with respect to 
certain measures imposed by Argentina on the importation of goods into that country. 
Argentina subjects the importation of goods into  Argentina to the presentation for approval 
(validación ) of a so-called Declaración Jurada An ticipada de Importación (DJAI).  The relevant legal 
instruments are listed in Annex I. 
Argentina subjects the importation of certain goods into Argentina to various types of 
licenses:  Licencias No Automáticas de Importación  in the form of Certificados de Importación  (CIs) 
and Certificados de Libre Circulación  (CLCs).  The legal instruments providing for these measures 
are listed in Annexes II and III, respectively. 
Argentina often requires the importers of goods  to undertake certain commitments, including, 
inter alia , to limit their imports, to balance them with e xports, to make or increase their investments in 
production facilities in Argentina, to increase the lo cal content of the products they manufacture in 
Argentina, not to transfer benefits ab road and/or to control their prices. 
The issuance of CIs and CLCs and the approval of  DJAIs is being systematically delayed or 
refused by the Argentinean authorities on non-transp arent grounds.  Often the Argentinean authorities 
make the issuance of CIs and CLCs and the approval of DJAIs conditional upon the importers 
undertaking to comply with the trade-restrictive commitments mentioned above. WT/DS446/1, G/L/997, 
G/AG/GEN/102, G/LIC/D/43 G/TRIMS/D/33, G/SG/D45/1 
G/TBT/D/42 
Page 2   
   
Argentina also subjects certain products to co mpliance with a technical regulation relating to 
the analysis of the content of lead and other heavy metals, with a view to im porting such products and 
authorizing their subsequent marketing and sale.  Compliance with this measure can only be certified 
by certification bodies recognized by Argentina.  Mexi co considers this measure to be discriminatory 
and believes that it creates an unnecessary barrier to international trade.  The relevant legal 
instruments are listed in Annex IV. 
These measures restrict imports of goods and discriminate between imported and domestic 
goods.  They do not appear to be related to the implementation of any measure justified under the 
World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement, but instead aimed at advancing the Argentinean 
Government's stated policies of re-industrialization,  import substitution, prolif eration of non-tariff 
barriers, and elimination of trade balance deficits. 
The legal measures through which Argentina impos es these restrictions include, but are not 
limited to, the legal instruments listed in the A nnexes, as well as any amendments, replacements, 
extensions, implementing meas ures or related measures. 
Argentina's measures appear to be inconsis tent with Argentina's obligations under the 
following provisions of the covered agreements: 
(i) Articles III:4, VIII;  X:1, X:2 and X:3;  and XI:1 of the GATT 1994; 
(ii) Articles 2 and 6 of the TRIMs Agreement; 
(iii) Articles 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 2.2, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 of the 
ILP Agreement; 
(iv) Article 4.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture; (v) Article 11 of the Safeguards Agreement;  and 
(vi) Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the TBT Agreement. 
Argentina's measures appear to nullify or impair the benefits accruing to Mexico directly or 
indirectly under the covered agreements. 
Mexico reserves the right to raise additional measures and claims regarding these matters in 
the course of the consultations. 
Mexico looks forward to receiving in due cour se a reply from Argentina to this request.  
Mexico is ready to consider with Argentina mutually convenient dates to hold consultations. 
 
  WT/DS446/1, G/L/997, 
 G/AG/GEN/102, G/LIC/D/43,  G/TRIMS/D/33, G/SG/D45/1 
G/TBT/D/42 
 Page 3 
  
  Annex I 
Declaración Jurada Anticipada de Importación  (DJAI) 
 
- Resolución AFIP 3252/2012 
- Resolución AFIP 3255/2012 - Resolución AFIP 3256/2012 - Resolución AFIP 3276/2012 
- Resolución SCI 1/2012 
- Comunicación del Banco Ce ntral "A" 5134 of 1.11.2010 
- Comunicación del Banco Ce ntral "A" 5274 of 1.30.2012 
- Any amendments, replacements, extens ions, implementing measures or related 
measures. 
 
Annex II 
 
Non-automatic licenses ( Licencias No Automáticas de Importación )  
in the form of import certificates ( Certificados de Importación ) 
 
- Import certificate for shoes ( productos del sector calzado ) - C.I.C.:  
Resolución MEyOSP 977/99, Resolución SICM 736/99 and Resolución MEyP 486/2005 
- Import certificate for paper ( papel ) - C.I.P.:  Resolución MEyOSP 1117/99 and 
Resolución SICyM 798/99 
- Import certificate for household products (artículos para el hogar) - C.I.A.H.:  
Resolución MEyP 444/2004 and Resolución SICPME 177/2004; 
- Import certificate for toys ( juguetes ) - C.I.J.:  Resolución MEyP 485/2005 
- Import certificate for motorcycles ( motocicletas ) - C.I.M.:  Resolución MEyP 689/2006 
- Import Certificate for bicycle tyres ( cubiertas y cámaras neumáticas de bicicleta ):  - 
C.I.C.C.N.B.:  Resolución MEyP 694/2006 
- Import certificate for miscellaneous manufactured products ( manufacturas diversas ) - 
C.I.M.D.:  Resolución MEyP 47/2007 
- Import certificate for shoe parts ( partes de calzado ) - C.I.P.C.:  Resolución MEyP 
61/2007 
- Import certificate for balls ( pelotas ) C.I.P.:  Resolución MEyP 217/2007 
- Import certificate for textile products ( productos textiles ) - C.I.P.T.:  
Resolución MEyP 343/2007 
- Import certificate for metal products ( productos metalúrgicos ) - C.I.P.M:  
Resolución MEyP 588/2008 
- Import certificate for yarns ( hilados y tejidos ) - C.I.H.T.:  Resolución MEyP 589/2008 
- Import certificate for tyres ( neumáticos ) - C.I.N:  Resolución MP 26/2009 WT/DS446/1, G/L/997, 
G/AG/GEN/102, G/LIC/D/43 G/TRIMS/D/33, G/SG/D45/1 
G/TBT/D/42 
Page 4   
  - Import certificate for miscellaneous products ( productos varios ) - C.I.P.V.:  
Resolución MP 61/2009 
- Import certificate for screws and similar products ( tornillos y afines ) - C.I.T.A.:  
Resolución MP 165/2009 
- Import certificate for autorparts ( autopartes y afines ) - C.I.A.P.A.: 
Resolución MP 337/2009 
- Import certificate for motor vehicles ( vehículos automóviles ) - C.I.V.A.:  
Resolución MI 45/2011 
- Any amendments, replacements, extens ions, implementing measures or related 
measures.
1 
 
 
Annex III 
Certificados de Libre Importación  for food products 
 
- Ley 18284/1969 
- Decreto 2092/1991 - Resolución M.S y A.S. 876/97 
- Resolución ANMAT 5434/98 
- Any amendments, replacements, extens ions, implementing measures or related 
measures. 
 
 
Annex IV 
 
Certification of lead content in inks and printed matter  
(Certificación de Contenido de Plomo en Tintas e Impresos ) 
 
- Resolución SCI 453/2010 
- Disposición DNCI 26/2012 
- Any amendments, replacements, extens ions, implementing measures or related 
measures. 
__________ 
                                                      
1 This includes, for example,  Resolución MI 45/2011.