ARGENTINA – MEASURES AFFECTING THE IMPORTATION OF GOODS
Document: Request for Consultations by the United States
Date: 23 August 2012
Document codes: WT/DS444/1; G/L/995; G/LIC/D/41; G/TRIMS/D/31; G/SG/D43/1
Complainant: U.S.
Respondent: Argentina
Third parties: Australia, Canada, China, Ecuador, EU, Guatemala, India, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey
Dispute stage: Appellate Body
Agreements cited: Art. X:1, X:3, XI:1  GATT 1994Art. 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5(f), 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4  Import LicensingArt. III:4  GATT 1994

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 undertaking to comply with
the above-mentioned trade-restrictive commitments.
WT/DS444/1, G/L/995,
G/LIC/D/41, G/TRIMS/D/31,

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 elimination 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 measures 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,

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,

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.