New system to control imports raises controversy with Brazil

Argentina, February 6, 2012

Beatriz Paglieri, Secretary of Foreign Trade of Argentina, will meet during the day today with her Brazilian colleague, Tatiana Prazeres, in order to analyze together the reporting system that took effect last Wednesday. 

Such a system requires for those who wish to enter goods to Argentina to submit an Advanced Affidavit about the product that is about to be imported. That information will then be analyzed by different agencies. Then, the operation should be supported and validated or rejected in a time of three to ten days.

The argument is that the Government wants to have as priority the trade surplus in a context of global crisis through intensive monitoring on production and imports.

However, the controversy did not wait to appear. Industrial leaders of Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay made their voices heard. For example, the head of the Federation of Industries of Sao Paulo (Fiesp), Paulo Skaf, traveled to Buenos Aires to meet with officials and discuss the potential impact that will have the new measure in Brazilian exports to our country.

The Fiesp argues that the obligation to file an affidavit of import will reach 74% of products exported by Brazil to Argentina.

In response, the government of Cristina Kirchner insists that it is necessary to balance the deficit balance it has with its main trading partner, Brazil.

According to the Ministry of Industry, in 2011 the balance was in a deficit of 5800 million, an increase in purchases from Brazil of the 23%.