After reducing taxes on food imports, the Government
relaxed customs controls on a list of textile products, footwear and certain household appliances
that required more extensive verification. The measure was announced this Monday amid the difficulties of the economic team to continue lowering inflation and tensions with various business sectors due to "excessive" prices in a recessionary context.
"Based on resolutions No. 154/2024 and 112/2024 published in the Official Gazette, the Government
released from the mandatory regulatory red channel
those goods that were subject to excessive inspections by Customs, with documentary control and of the merchandise to be imported. The use of the red channel as an obstacle to imports was imposed by the previous management of the Ministry of Economy," the economic portfolio said.
According to the authorities, the previous regime implied an
"arbitrary" merchandise selection
criterion , since it covered, by definition, goods in the textile and footwear category, and products with anti-dumping measures in force that, in turn, already complied with the additional payments established by said measures established during the administration of the Minister of Productive Development, Matías Kulfas.
From now on, companies will be freed from facing a costly import expense,
since the cost of shipping per container is reduced by $1,200, which represents 2.5%
of the average value of the merchandise shipped in an import. reported the ministry headed by Luis Caputo.
Some of the goods reached are positions that require labeling (finished garments such as yarns, fabrics and clothing for manufacturing), technical regulation intervention (toys), energy efficiency and electrical safety.
Meanwhile, the items to which the antidumping regulations apply are water heaters, radiators, boilers, air conditioners, cutlery and fans, among others that will now go through the "general selectivity" channel.
The Government
eliminated 36% of import operations sent to the red channel, which represent 7%
of the total operations carried out in the country. Thus, the aim is to shorten delivery times and the production, marketing and/or export process, by avoiding the paralysis of the merchandise at customs and an increase in the cost of inspection for importers.
The regulations generated concern in sectors of the industry, where some chambers believe that the changes "
go against the spirit of the antidumping mechanism"
and that "the elimination of the red channel for goods subject to technical regulations is a risk for both consumers and local manufacturers.