Resolution 267/24 from the Secretariat of Industry and Commerce of the Ministry of Economy established in September 2024 a major change in the way public service companies and businesses in the country must prepare their invoices.
The text prohibited the inclusion of any item that doesn't directly correspond to the contracted good or service. In other words, it was forbidden to add fees, taxes, or other charges that distort the real price of the service.
The regulation, which granted companies a period of 30 days to comply, aimed to make receipts more transparent and prevent users from facing charges that exceed what they actually consume.
The measure was supported by Consumer Protection Law No. 24,240, which in its articles 4 and 8 bis requires providers to offer clear, detailed, and truthful information, and to maintain fair and dignified treatment toward consumers. In addition, the National Constitution, in its article 42, recognizes with constitutional status the right of users to have accurate information and to protect their economic interests.
The resolution was complemented by provisions from the National Electricity Regulatory Agency (ENRE) and the National Gas Regulatory Agency (Enargas), which also prohibited the inclusion of items unrelated to the service in electricity and gas bills. The background was the proliferation of complaints about municipalities and provincial governments adding local taxes through essential service bills, which in practice increases the final cost for the user without transparent justification.
