G/LIC/Q/ARG/17  
30 April 2018 
(18-2695) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
IMPORT LICENSING SYSTEM OF ARGENTINA  
REPLIES TO QUESTIONS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TO ARGENTINA  
The f ollowing communication, dated 20 April 2018, is being circulated at the request  of the 
delegation of Argentina . 
 
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EU question No . 1: Could Argentina submit detailed information about the products 
subject to automatic import licensing procedures as well as the ones subject to 
non-automatic import licensing procedures?  
 
First, it should be noted that notification G/LIC/N/3/ARG/13  was made under Article 7.3  of the 
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures , which refers to the annual questionnaire  to be 
completed by countries with respect to the procedures they apply in th at regard . Argentina 
considers that it has responded  to all the questions in accordance with the model established for 
said questionnaire, without leaving out  any reply.  
 
Second, notification G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28  does not indicate , as th e EU states, that the 
Argentine  Republic has " substantially changed its import licensing procedures in place ". It serves 
to notify  Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 523/2017 , which does not change the licensing 
procedures but brings the information on those procedures together in a single rule, while at the 
same time providing an updated single list of the universe of products covered.  
 
Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 170/2018 (in the process of notification to the WTO) re places 
the annexes to Secretariat for Trade Resolution No. 523/2017  and the amendments thereto 
containing the list of products subject to a utomatic and non -automatic import licensing . 
 
EU question No . 2: Could also Argentina submit a table listing all products subject to 
import licensing procedures and clearly indicating how the amendme nts introduced by 
Resolution No . 523/2017 have affected each product?  
 
The main change made through Resolution No. 523/2017 was the switching of 16 tariff headings  
that h ad been subject to non-automatic import licensing  to automatic import li censing, and of 
one tariff heading  from automatic to non -automatic import licensing.  
 
In addition, pursuant to Secretariat for Trade Resolution No s 898/2017, E -5/2018 and 170/2018, a 
total of 490 tariff headings1 ceased to be subject to non-automatic import licensing  and are now 
subject to automatic licensing.  
 
Together with Resolution No. 523/2017, this makes a total of 506 tariff headings removed from 
the unive rse of headings subject to non -automatic import licensing.  
 
Accordingly, by virtue of the texts referred to and in order to clarify  the status of each product, 
it may be concluded that all products are subject to automatic import licensing  with the 
exception of the tariff headings shown in the list that is attached as a separate file  
to these replies,  which  are subject to non-automatic import licensing  (constituting a total of 
                                                
1 Resolution No. 898/2017 removed a total of 19, Resolution No. E-5/2018 a total of 313 and Resolution 
No. 170/2018 a total of 158 tariff headings from the universe of non -automatic licensing.  G/LIC/Q/ARG/17  
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  1,194  tariff headings at the eight -digit level in the MERCOSUR C ommon Nomenclature (NCM), 
representing 12 % of the total of 10,226 tariff headings).  
 
EU question No . 3: Could Argentina give further details clarifying what other options 
have been considered and the reasons for not having being considered appropriate?  
 
On the one hand, the automatic import licensing system is seen as constituting the most suitable 
alternative for obtaining statistical information in a short space of time, enabling the authorities to 
conduct a rapid analysis.  
 
In the case of non -automatic i mport licences, their implementation enables the proper 
management of the inter-agency coordination mechanism s and exchanges of information that are 
needed in order to verify compliance with the requirements laid down for the marketing of certain 
goods (bo th local and imported) on Argentine territory – something that is not possible with 
automatic licences.  
 
It is to be noted that the purpose of this system adopted by Argentina is to provide a control and 
monitoring mechanism that is considered appropriate  in the context  of the circumstances in which 
it has had to be applied, within the framework of implementation of the conclusions and 
recommendations of the WTO Dispute Settlement Body  in the dispute " Argentina – Measures 
Affecting the Importation of Goods " (DS438 -444-445). Our country has taken, and will continue to 
take, every precaution to ensure that the operation of said system does not result in any departure 
from Argentina's commitments under the WTO rules.  
 
EU question No . 4: The EU understands that  for these goods there is no longer the need 
to establish an appropriate prior verification system for ensuring compliance with the 
conditions governing the importation of goods . Could Argentina give further details 
clarifying what were the considerations that led to such a conclusion and the decision to 
eliminate the non -automatic licences for these particular products?  
 
One of the objectives of the economic policy that the Argentine Government has been 
implementing since 10  December  2015 is the establishm ent of a transparent and predictable 
foreign trade system  in the interests of facilitating all business operations associated with 
international trade.  
 
In the Argentine Republic, therefore, all trade policy instruments  implemented by the Government, 
including those relating to  the import licensing system, are constantly being reviewed in order to 
adapt them to and keep them consistent with that objective.  
 
In this context, the elimination of tariff headings in the universe covered by non -automatic import 
licences responds to considerations that have to do with the ongoing process of analysing foreign 
trade and the changing circumstances.  
 
EU question No . 5: Could also Argentina clarify whether the new rules will be notified?  
 
The Argentine Republic has fully complied with its obligations pertaining to the notification of 
import licences . In this regard, the rules whereby changes were made to the universe of tariff 
headings covered by import licences  have been duly notified to the Committee on Import 
Licensing . 
 
The notifications in question  are as follows:  
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27, of 1 0 March  2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.1, of 1 2 May 2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.2, of 8 August  2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.3, of 2 3 September  2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.4, of 8 November  2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.5, of 2 0 December  2016. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/27/Add.6, of 3 0 March  2017. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28, of 2 6 September  2017. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.1, of 8 December  2017. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.2, of 2 2 January  2018. 
 G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.1/C orr.1, of  1 February  2018. G/LIC/Q/ARG/17  
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EU question No . 6: Could Argentina give further information on this issue, clarifying in 
particular whether the information is correct?  
 
The information source to which the European Union refers is a press medium  and not an official 
source.  
 
In this regard, it should be noted that the identification of products that are subject to technical 
regulations or the implementation thereof responds to objectives that have to do with consumer  
safety, health  and the environ ment and which are duly j ustified under the relevant 
WTO provisions, thus having no pre -established schedule.  
 
Taking  the foregoing  into account , Argentina will inform Members of any change to the licensing 
regime, or of the adoption of technical regulatio ns, through notific ations in the corresponding 
WTO committees.  
 
EU question No . 7: Could Argentina clarify what products will be affected by those 
technical regulations?  
 
Please see the reply to question No. 6. 
 
 
EU question No . 8: Could also Argentina submit some indications on the timing expected 
for the introduction of the technical regulations?  
 
Please see the reply to question No. 6. 
 
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