The United States removed Argentina from the priority list of intellectual property under Milei's management

The United States decided to remove Argentina from the “Priority Watch List”, the most critical step in its annual report on intellectual property, to locate it in the “Watch List”, in what constitutes the first concrete recognition after more than a decade of permanence in the most questioned category. The country was also accumulating comments for three decades for commercial distortions linked to the lack of respect for copyrights and patents

The measure came after the signing of the “Agreement on Trade and Reciprocal Investment (ARTI)” between Argentina and the United States in February 2026, an understanding that consolidates the strategic alignment of the Milei government with the international standards promoted by Washington. According to the document from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative , ARTI “will benefit American innovators and creators by improving intellectual property (IP) protection and prioritizing enforcement against IP theft.” Within this framework, Argentina made commitments to advance key international treaties and raise regulatory standards

One of the most important structural changes highlighted by the report was Argentina's decision to repeal “excessively broad limitations” on patentable matters, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector. These restrictions included guidelines that “automatically rejected applications for categories of pharmaceutical inventions that are eligible for patent in other jurisdictions and required that the processes for manufacturing active compounds disclosed in a specification be reproducible and applicable on an industrial scale.” This regulatory turn—formalized in March 2026—removes obstacles that for years discouraged innovation

The report also details a battery of measures taken to get off the priority list. Among them, the preparation of “reports on the viability of a data protection regime and on the causes of delays in the patent granting process”, as well as the strengthening of criminal prosecution through “dissuasive sanctions, including higher fines and prison sentences for falsification committed by organized

At the institutional level, the agreement provides for providing ex officio authority to border agencies, creating a coordinating body in the area of intellectual property and modifying local legislation to ensure effective civil actions, including the possibility of applying precautionary measures against piracy. At the operational level, the commitment includes “increasing operations and seizures in notorious markets and distribution centers”, together with the development of a national strategy to combat counterfeiting

The country also pledged to “collect and publish quarterly statistics on IP enforcement”, establish the liability of property owners where illegal products are marketed, and promote cooperation between Internet service providers (ISPs), rights holders and other interested parties. The objective is clear: to advance the “investigation and criminal prosecution of website operators based in Argentina dedicated to commercial piracy

In parallel, the agreement incorporates clauses on agri-food trade, ensuring that Argentina will maintain access to the U.S. market for producers who use traditional names, so that “access to the market is not restricted solely by the use of certain cheese and meat terms.” “strong standards of transparency and fairness in the protection of geographical indications (GI)” are also established, avoiding arbitrary restrictions on U.S. products

Despite advances, the report warns that Argentina “continues to present historic challenges to IP-intensive industries.” Difficulties persist in both physical and digital markets. In this regard, “La Salada and Barrio Once in Buenos Aires” have once again been identified as relevant sources of illegal trade. In 2025, a court order allowed 60 simultaneous operations in La Salada, with multiple arrests, although the document notes that the police “generally do not act ex officio and proceedings can be stalled