You should be attentive to requests from your representatives in the market, regarding labelling, export documents and packaging. Small deviations from the instructions could result in increased costs and delays.

Establishing good personal relations is important, to ensure continuity in managing the relationship.

VAT

VAT will be 21% on most goods to be paid by the Argentine importer at the time of importing.

Import duties

All goods imported from non-MERCOSUR countries attract a common external import tariff that ranges between 0 to 35 percent, with the average rate being 14%. Some goods do not attract a single common rate, although MERCOSUR member countries aim to converge towards a common external tariff for these goods.

Further information is available from The Foreign Trade Information Center (CICE) (website in Spanish).

Regulations

Export documentations are like those for any other country. Deviations could bring additional costs and delays and could even complicate payment as they could be considered discrepancies by the participating financial institutions. As with documentation, labelling and packaging details should be agreed with the importer to avoid delays.

Further information is available from The Foreign Trade Information Center (CICE) (website in Spanish).

Double taxation agreement

If you are exporting a service, you can use the Double Taxation Agreement. If the Argentine company is required to withhold part of a payment to pay local taxes, you can deduct the difference from your tax liabilities in the UK, as you originally exported the service.

Local representation

We cannot stress enough the importance of a good agent, distributor, or representative and following their advice to enter the market in a cost-effective way. Local assembly as well as the use of duty-free areas could be a good way into the market.

Trade barriers

Check for any reported barriers to trading with Argentina.

Report any trade barriers that are affecting your business so we can help fix them.

Argentine and International companies are treated equally by law. Despite this, bureaucracy and the variety of taxes and regulations can make it complex. Obtaining professional help is strongly advised, especially as this will reduce the risk of long and possibly expensive wrangling later.

Intellectual property

Intellectual property (IP) rights are territorial and rights granted in the UK do not provide protection elsewhere. You should consider getting IP protection abroad if you want to trade overseas or sell to overseas customers via the internet.

The Intellectual Property Office provides practical information to help you protect, manage and enforce your IP abroad. Further support for British businesses can be found through a network of IP attachés, based in key UK export markets.

Payment terms

Letters of Credit are expensive in Argentina and local customers may prefer other payment forms such as advance payments. We recommend using them to start any new commercial relationship as well as exploring the possibility of advanced payments on at least part of the goods.

Challenges

Argentina presents challenges for businesses that can include high inflation, high labour costs, currency exchange rate restrictions and instability. There are complex standards, certification, registration, and public procurement issues. You should contact the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) Argentina for more information and advice.