ARCA removes 23 obstacles to importing and accelerates foreign trade with the US

The Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA) formalized the elimination of 23 resolutions that imposed intervention requirements from private entities during physical inspections of imported goods.

The measure, published in the  Official Gazette on May 9 through General Resolution No. 5693/2025, is part of a broader strategy to facilitate foreign trade and advance negotiations with the United States, a country that recently imposed a 10% tariff on Argentine products.

Changes in the red channel and response to old complaints

The repealed provisions had been issued between 1998 and 1999. They established the requirement to have representatives from sectoral chambers and federations during customs verifications when an import was directed to the red selectivity channel in the MALVINA Computer System (SIM).

According to the agency, these regulations caused delays, costs, and unnecessary logistics for operators and the State itself. "It was an obsolete scheme, with low effectiveness and minimal effective participation from the entities," ARCA argued.

A measure aligned with the United States report

The Government indicated that this decision is in line with the annual document from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), which identifies the main barriers to bilateral trade. Among them is the need to eliminate non-tariff barriers, automate processes, and make customs procedures more transparent.

The United States also demands a comprehensive simplification that includes ending the mandatory consularization of documents, eliminating duplicate controls, and increasing regulatory predictability.

Operational impact and reception from the private sector

From the import sector, the measure was well received. Fernando Furci, CEO of the Chamber of Importers of the Argentine Republic (CIRA), questioned the sense of the repealed regulations: "Why did a chamber representative have to validate the legality of an operation, if there is qualified customs personnel?" he asked.

Furci added that, although in practice these obstacles were applied infrequently,  "they were part of a toolbox used to hinder imports without a clear criterion."

Formalization and intervening bodies

The resolution was signed on May 7 by Juan Alberto Pazo and involved multiple technical areas, including the departments of Legislation, Legal Affairs, Customs, Revenue, Systems, and Control. It came into effect on May 10.

This decision complements other similar actions such as General Resolution No. 5586, which had already eliminated similar requirements in 2024.

Bilateral context and next steps

The measure comes at a time of tension with Washington. Since the U.S. imposed a 10% tariff on Argentine exports, the Ministry of Economy is seeking measures to alleviate that burden and improve access conditions to the North American market.

According to official sources, there are still pending reforms related to internal taxes, exchange controls, and import licenses. Nevertheless,  the elimination of procedural barriers is considered progress within the roadmap agreed upon under the TIFA Agreement signed in 2016.