WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/DS444/1 
G/L/995 
G/LIC/D/41 
G/TRIMS/D/31 G/SG/D43/1 
23 August 2012 
 
(12-4556) 
 Original:   English  
 
 
 
ARGENTINA – MEASURES AFFECTING THE IMPORTATION  
OF GOODS  
 
Request for Consultations by the United States 
  
 The following communication, dated 21 August 2012, from the delegation of the United States 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. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
My authorities have instructed me to request c onsultations with the Government 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 6 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  ("Import Licensing 
Agreement"), Article 8 of the Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures  ("TRIMS 
Agreement") and Article 14 of the Agreement on Safeguards  ("Safeguards Agreement"), concerning 
certain measures imposed by Argentina on the importation of goods into Argentina. 
 
Argentina subjects the importation of goods into  Argentina to the presentation for approval 
(validación ) of a non-automatic import license, the so-called Declaración Jurada Anticipada de 
Importación  ("DJAI").  The relevant legal instrument s through which Argentina maintains these 
measures include those listed in Annex I. 
 
Argentina also subjects the importation of  certain goods into Argentina to other 
non-automatic licenses:  Licencias No Automáticas de Importación  in the form of Certificados de 
Importación  ("CIs").  The legal instruments through which Argentina maintains these measures 
include those listed in Annex II. 
 
Argentina often requires the importers of goods  to undertake certain commitments, including, 
inter alia , to limit their imports, to balance them with exports, to make or increase their investment in 
production facilities in Argentina, to increase the local  content of products manufactured in Argentina 
(and thereby discriminate against im ported products), to refrain from  transferring revenue or other 
funds abroad and/or to control the price of imported goods. 
  
The issuance of CIs and the approval of DJAIs are being systematically delayed or refused by the Argentinean authorities on non-transparent grounds.  The Argentinean authorities often make the 
issuance of CIs and the approval of DJAIs conditiona l upon the importers under taking to comply with 
the above-mentioned trade-restrictive commitments.   WT/DS444/1, G/L/995,  
G/LIC/D/41, G/TRIMS/D/31,  G/SG/D43/1 
Page 2 
  
  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 
WTO Agreement, but instead appear to be aimed at advancing Argentina's stated policies of re-
industrialization, import substitution and el imination of trade balance deficits.  
 The legal instruments through which Argentina maintains these measures 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, X:1, X:2, X:3( a) and XI:1 of the GATT 1994; 
 
(ii) Article 2 of the TRIMs Agreement;   (iii) Articles 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3. 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 and 5. 4 of the Import Licensing 
Agreement; and  
 
(iv) Article 11 of the Safeguards Agreement. 
 We look forward to receiving your reply to the pr esent request and to fixing a mutually convenient 
date for consultations.  
 
    WT/DS444/1, G/L/995,  
 G/LIC/D/41, G/TRIMS/D/31,   G/SG/D43/1 
 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, extensions, implementing measures or related measures 
 
   WT/DS444/1, G/L/995,  
G/LIC/D/41, G/TRIMS/D/31,  G/SG/D43/1 
Page 4 
  
  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 sect or 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 (artíc ulos 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 tires (cubiertas y cámaras neumáticas de bicicletas) - 
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 (produ ctos 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 tires (neumáticos) - C.I.N.: Resolución MP 26/2009 
- Import certificate for miscellaneous products (p roductos 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 autoparts (autopartes y afines) - C.I.A.P.A.: Resolución MP 337/2009 
- Import certificate for motor vehicles (vehícul os automóviles) - C.I.V.A.: Resolución MI 
45/2011 
- Any amendments, replacements, extensions, implementing measures or related measures. 
 
 
 
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