WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/LIC/N/3/ARG/9 
24 April 2012 
 (12-2184) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original: Spanish 
  
 
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT 
LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on 
Import Licensing Procedures Notification for 2011 
 
ARGENTINA 
  
The following notification, dated 23 April 2012, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Argentina. 
 
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Outline of systems  
 
1. Two types of import licence are administered at present by the Secretariat of Foreign Trade:  
automatic and non-automatic.  Automatic import licen ces, as their name suggests, are granted on the 
basis of a single requirement, namely compliance w ith all of the prescribed formalities.  They are 
approved in all cases and are consistent with Ar ticle 2 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.  Applica tions for non-automatic licences are consistent 
with Article 3 of this Agreement, which is inco rporated into Argentine legislation by way of 
Law No. 24.425. 
Automatic import licences currently being admi nistered include the Sworn Declaration of 
Product Composition (DJCP), for which the Secretariat of Foreign Trade is responsible, and the Prior 
Automatic Import Licence (LAPI), administered by th e Directorate-General of Customs attached to 
the Federal Public Revenue Admini stration.  Procedures for the DJCP  are manual and a pplications are 
submitted to the Directorate of Imports of the U ndersecretariat for Foreign Trade and International 
Relations.  The LAPI is the first computerized import licence processed by the MARIA computer system (SIM).  It aims to monitor imports in  advance, thereby providing an advance supply of 
descriptive statistical information for the historical r ecords, which, in turn, enables their trends to be 
analysed.  This would prove useful in the event of trade defence measures being adopted and avoid 
delays which could harm the various domestic sectors.  
Non-automatic import licences are import certificates issued to importers who comply with 
current statutory requirements with regard to  consumer rights and submit the corresponding 
application to the Directorate-General of Custom s when requesting clearance documents for imports 
of consumer goods.  
                                                      
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire. G/LIC/N/3/ARG/9 
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  Purposes and coverage of licensing  
 
2. Automatic licences include the Pr ior Automatic Import Licence (LAPI), which covers imports 
of, inter alia , the following products:  footwear parts, paper in reams and rolls, textiles (cotton and 
synthetic yarn), parts and spare parts of agricu ltural and self-propelled machinery, cardboard boxes, 
telephone accessories, wooden furniture (bedroom fu rniture and cupboards), dried egg yolks and 
canned peaches;  and the Sworn Declaration of Pro duct Composition (DJCP), which covers the textile 
and clothing industry. 
 Non-automatic licences include the Footwear Import Certificate, the Paper Import Certificate, 
the Bicycle Import Certificate, the Household Goods  Import Certificate, the Toy Import Certificate, 
the Tyre and Tube Import Certificate, the Motorcyc le Import Certificate, the Ball Import Certificate, 
the Textile Product Import Certificate, the Footw ear Parts Import Certific ate, the Miscellaneous 
Manufactured Articles Import Certificate, the Metall urgical Product Import Certificate, the Yarn and 
Fabric Import Certificate, the Tyre Import Certif icate, the Miscellaneous Product Import Certificate, 
the Import Certificate for Screws and Related Produc ts, the Import Certificate for Auto Parts and 
Related Products, and the Motor Vehicle Import Certificate. 
 3. The system applies to goods origina ting in and coming from all countries. 
4. Licensing does not restrict either the quantity or the value of imports.  The purpose of the 
system is to assess product compliance with safet y standards and to protect consumer rights by 
establishing the origin and source, as well as the composition and quality, of imported goods. 
5. Licensing is maintained under the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures of the 
GATT 1994, which is incorporated into Argen tine legislation by way of Law No. 24.425. 
Licensing is statutorily required for certain types of goods.  The Ministry of the Economy and 
Public Finance is the only body to designate, th rough resolutions, products subject to licensing. 
 
 The Executive does not need legislative appr oval to abolish the import licensing system. 
 
Procedures  
 
6.I-XI. n/a.  
7.(a) The only cases in which licences may be obtaine d within a shorter time-limit are applications 
for automatic import licences either for perishable  goods or critical inputs for a sector of the 
domestic industry or for products which are cove red by the licence and the value or quantity 
of which is minimal in relation to the rest of the goods making up the import. 
 
(b) The following time-limits apply in all cases: 
  LAPI and DJCP:  a minimum of two and a maximum of ten working days.   Import certificates for footwear, paper, house hold goods, bicycles, toys, tyres and tubes, 
motorcycles, balls, textile products, footwear parts, miscellaneous manufactured articles, 
metallurgical products, yarns and fabrics, tyr es, miscellaneous products, screws and related 
products, auto parts and related products, a nd motor vehicles:  a minimum of ten and a 
maximum of 60 calendar days given that a pplications are examined simultaneously. 
 (c) There are no restrictions as to the period of the year during which an application for a licence 
may be made.  G/LIC/N/3/ARG/9 
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(d) Licence applications are examined by  the Secretariat of Foreign Trade. 
 8. The only reason for a non-automatic import licen ce being refused is failure to meet the 
ordinary criteria.  The interested party is always not ified of such reasons so that the errors detected 
can be rectified. 
Eligibility of importers to apply for licences 
 
9. All importers are eligible to apply for licences,  the only requirement being inclusion in the 
Directorate General of Customs' Register of Impor ters and in the Integrated Foreign Trade System. 
Documentation and other require ments for licence applications 
 
10.  The information required for import licence app lications is that specified on the respective 
forms. 
11. - The Prior Automatic Import Licence (L API), processed by the MARIA computer 
system (SIM) 
 - The Sworn Declaration of Product Composition (DJCP)  - The Footwear Import Certificate (CIC)  - The Paper Import Certificate (CIP)  - The Household Goods Import Certificate (CIAH)  - The Bicycle Import Certificate (CIB) 
 - The Tyre and Tube Import Certificate (CICC) 
 - The Toy Import Certificate (CIJ)  - The Motorcycle Import Certificate (CIM)  - The Ball Import Certificate (CIP)  - The Textile Product Import Certificate (CIPT) 
 - The Footwear Parts Import Certificate (CIPC) 
 - The Miscellaneous Manufactured Articles Import Certificate (CIMD)  - The Metallurgical Product Import Certificate (CIPM)  - The Yarn and Fabric Import Certificate (CIHT)  - The Tyre Import Certificate (CIN)  - The Miscellaneous Product Import Certificate (CIPV) 
 - The Import Certificate for Scre ws and Related Products (CITA) 
- The Import Certificate for Auto Parts and Related Products (CIAPA) 
- The Motor Vehicle Import Certificate (CIVA). 
 12. Pursuant to Resolution No. 44/2003, there is currently no licensing fee or administrative 
charge. 
13. No deposit or advance payment requirement is associated with the issue of licences. 
Conditions of licensing 
 
14. The periods of validity of the various import licences are as follows: 
LAPI:  60 calendar days as from the date of processing 
DJCP:  360 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CIC:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIP:  120 calendar days as from the date of issue CIAH:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue G/LIC/N/3/ARG/9 
Page 4  
 
  CIB:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CICC:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIJ:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIM:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIP:  120 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CIPT:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CIPC:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIMD:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIPM:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIHT:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CIN:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue 
CIPV:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CITA:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIAPA:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue CIVA:  60 calendar days as from the date of issue 
 
Licences may not be extended.  A new licence  may, however, be issued, for which the 
importer can commence the application procedures as  far in advance as he considers appropriate. 
 15. There are no penalties for the non-utilization of a licence or portion of a licence. 
16. Licences are non-transferable and are only deliv ered to the holders themselves or their 
authorized and duly accredited representatives or agents. 
17. (a) No products subject to licensing are liable to quantitative restrictions; 
(b) import licences must be registered in th e Integrated Foreign Trade System (SISCO) 
prior to their issue. 
 Other procedural requirements 
 
18. No other administrative procedures are required prior to importation. 
19. The banking authorities are not involved in import licensing. 
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