. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/ARG/176 
29 April 2005 
 
 (05-1754) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   Spanish 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  ARGENTINA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible:    Ministry of Energy 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers and E-mail and Web site 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:    
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable,  otherwise national tariff heading.  
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Liquefied petroleum gas 
(LPG) 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Regime regulating the 
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry and the Marke ting of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (12 pages, 
in Spanish) 
6. 
     
 
    
 
   Description of content:  Law No. 26.020, promulgated in part by Decree No. 297/2005 and 
supplemented by Ministry of Energy (SE) Resolution No. 623/2005 (Articles 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Law), establishes the regulatory frame work for the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) 
industry and the marketing of LPG. 
 This regime covers the production, fractioni ng, transport, storage, distribution, port 
services for, and marketing of LPG in Argentina. 
 The activities thus covered may be fr eely exercised in accordance with the 
established provisions and should be geared  towards competition, non-discrimination, 
freedom of access, efficient allocation of r esources, public safety, and protection of the 
environment. 
 Import and export operations: 
 -  LPG may be freely imported with no need for prior authorization, the only 
requirement being observance of the legislation in force. 
 - LPG may be freely exported once domestic supply requirements have been 
satisfied. 
 - Restrictions:  The Argentine Government may, on its own motion or at the 
request of the implementing authority, provide for measures to restrict LPG 
import operations;  safeguards;  a nd other preventive or remedial G/TBT/N/ARG/176 
Page 2  
 
  countervailing measures, where such operations are subsidized in the 
country(ies) of origin, provided that the measures do not contravene any relevant provisions of multilateral, re gional or bilateral agreements signed 
by Argentina. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:   
 Need to establish a specific legal framework. 
8. Relevant documents:   Law No. 26.020, Decree No. 297/2005 and Ministry of Energy (SE) 
Resolution No. 623/2005. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  8 April 2005 
Proposed date of entry into force:  90 days after 8 June 2005 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days following date of distribution 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and E-mail and Web site add resses, if available, of other body:    
Punto Focal de la República Argentina 
Dirección Nacional de Comercio Interior 
Avda. J. A. Roca 651 Piso 4° Sector 2 (C1067ABB) Buenos Aires Tel.: (+54) 11 4349 4067 Fax: (+54) 11 4349 4072  
E-mail: focalotc@mecon.gov.ar 
Text available at:  http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar/notific_arg.htm