WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/ARG/2/Add.1
6 March 2002
(02-1107)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  Spanish
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
ARGENTINA
Addendum
The following communication, dated 8 February 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Argentina.
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Please find attached, pursuant to Article 7.3 of the Agreement, the updated replies of the
Argentine Republic to the Questionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures.
                                                     
1 See G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/2/Add.1
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1. Outline of systems
Two types of import licence are administered at present by the Secretariat of Trade: automatic
and non-automatic. Automatic import licences, as their name suggests, are granted on the basis of a
single requirement, namely compliance with all of th e prescribed formalities. They are approved in all
cases and are consistent with Article 2 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Import
Licensing Procedures. Applications for non-automatic licences are in accordance with Article 3 of this
Agreement, which is incorporated into Argentine legislation by way of Law 24,425.
As a general rule, import licences are import certificates issued by the National Foreign Trade
Management Directorate to importers who comply with current statutory requirements with regard to
consumers' rights and submit the corresponding ap plication to the Directorate-General of Customs
when requesting clearance documents for imports of consumer goods. Automatic import licences
currently being administered include the Sworn De claration of Product Composition (DJCP) and the
Prior Automatic Import Licence (LAPI).
Procedures for the DJCP are manual and applications are submitted to the Directorate of
Imports of the Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade Management.
The LAPI is the first computerized import licence processed by the MARIA computer system
(SIM). It aims to monitor imports in advance, th ereby providing an advance supply of descriptive
statistical information for the historical records which, in turn, enables their trend to be analysed. Thiswould prove useful in the event of trade defen ce measures being adopted and avoid delays which
could harm the various domestic sectors.
2. Purposes and coverage of licensing
− Automatic licences include the Prior Automatic Import Licence (LAPI) and the
Sworn Declaration of Product Composition (DJCP).
− Non-automatic licences include the Footwear Import Certificate and the Paper Import
Certificate.
The aim of the Prior Automatic Import Licence (LAPI) is the advance descriptive monitoring
of the tariff headings covered, corresponding to imports of the following products: footwear parts,
paper in reams and rolls, textiles (cotton and synthetic yarn), parts and spare parts of agricultural and
self-propelled machinery, cardboard boxes, telephone accessories, wooden furniture (bedroom
furniture and cupboards), dried egg yolks and canned peaches.
The Sworn Declaration of Product Composition (DJCP) covers finished footwear, textiles and
clothing.
Non-automatic licences cover finished footwear and commercially packaged paper.
3. The system applies to goods originating 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 protect consumer  rights by establishing the origin and source of
imported goods.G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/2/Add.1
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5. − Licensing is maintained under the Agreement on Import Licencing Procedures of the
GATT 1994, which is incorporated into Argentine legislation by way of Law No.
24,425.
− Licensing is statutorily required for certain types of goods.
− The regulations provide that the designation of products subject to licensing be left to
administrative discretion, the responsible authority being the Undersecretariat forForeign Trade Management of the Secretariat of Trade, under the Ministry of the
Economy.
− The executive branch does not need legislative approval to abolish the licencing
system
Licensing is maintained under the Agreement on Import Licencing Procedures of the GATT
1994, which is incorporated into Argentine legislation by way of Law No. 24,425.
Licensing is statutorily required for certain types of goods.The regulations provide that the designation of products subject to licensing be left to
administrative discretion, the responsible authority being the Undersecretariat for ForeignTrade Management of the Secretariat of Trade, under the Ministry of the Economy.
The executive branch does not need legislative approval to abolish the licencing system.
6. Procedures
I
− Yes, in the Official Journal.
− Yes. The Directorate-General of Customs handles such matters.
− Some derogations  were provided for in the curr ent regulations for each licence.
Exceptions are analysed on an individual ba sis in response to a written submission by
the interested party to the Undersecretariat for Foreign Trade Management (Secretariat
of Trade).
II
See the reply to point IV below.
III
− Footwear import licences are allotted to both foreign and domestic producers.
− Certificates are issued and must be presented together with the rest of the
documentation required for inward customs clearance.
− Unused allocations are not added to quotas for a succeeding period.
− The names of importers to whom licences have been allocated are made known to
governments and export promotion bodies  of exporting countries upon request.G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/2/Add.1
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IV
Licences administered by the Secretariat of Trade are not subject to quotas. The current
footwear quotas stem from the application of a safeguard measure.
V
LAPI and DJCP:   minimum of two and a maximum of 10 working days.
Footwear and/or Paper Import Certificates:  A minimum of 10 and a maximum of 30 days.
VI
See point 14 below on periods of import licence validity.
VII
Consideration of licence applications is effe cted by the following administrative organs:
LAPI:
− The Directorate-General of Customs alone.
− The Secretariat of Trade is also involved in cases of changed circumstances where
licences are cancelled to amend some of the data furnished.
DJCP:
− The Secretariat of Trade alone.
− Footwear and Paper Import Certificates:  The Secretariat of Trade, the National
Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) and the Ministry of Competition,Deregulation and Consumer Protection.
VIII
The allocation of all import licences to applicants is on a first come, first served basis.
IX
See point IV above.
X
The above-mentioned licencing procedures do not include such a mechanism.
XI
No.G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/2/Add.1
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7. (a)  Applications for licences may be submitted on any working day prior to the customs
clearance of the goods. The only cases in which licences may be obtained within a
shorter time-limit are applications for auto matic import licences either for perishable
goods or critical inputs for a sector of th e domestic industry or for products covered by
the licence and the value or quantity of which is minimal in relation to the rest of thegoods making up the import
(b) The minimum lengths of time specified in point V above apply in all cases
(c) There are no restrictions as to the period of the year during which an application for a
licence may be made.
(d) Licence applications are examined  by the Secretariat of Trade.
8. The only reason for a non-automatic import licence being refused is failure to meet the ordinary
criteria. The interested party is always notified of  such reasons so that the errors detected can be
rectified.
9. All importers are eligible to apply for licences, the only requirement being inclusion in the
Directorate-General of Customs' Register of Importers.
10. The information required for import licence applications is that specified on the respective
forms (see Annexes to current regulations).
11. The Prior Automatic Import Licence (LAPI), processed by the MARIA computer system
(SIM);
The Sworn Declaration of Product Composition (DJCP);
The Footwear Import Certificate (CIC);The Paper Import Certificate (CIP).
12. Only in the case of the Footwear Import Certificate.
The National Institute of Industrial Technology (INTI) charges a fee of between Arg$137 and
Arg$165 for processing such certificates, depending on the nature of the procedure involved, for
example, a) the extension of a family of products or b) a new model.
13. No deposit or advance payment requirement is associated with the issue of licences.
14. The periods of validity of the various import licences are as follows:
− LAPI: 60 days as from the date of processing;
− DJCP: 360 days as from the date of issue;
− CIC: 30 days as from the date of issue;
− CIP: 30 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-utilisation of a licence or portion of a licence.G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/2/Add.1
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16. Licences are non-transferable and are only delivered to the holders themselves or their
authorized and duly accredited representatives or agents.
17. No other conditions are attached to the issue of a licence.18. No other administrative procedures are required prior to importation.19. The banking authorities are not involved in import licencing.
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