After reducing taxes on food imports, the Government made customs controls more flexible on a list of textile products, footwear and some household appliances which required further verification. The measure was announced on Monday amid the economic group’s difficulties in continuing to reduce inflation and tensions with several economic sectors due to “excessive” prices in a recessionary context.
“From resolutions no. 154/2024 and 112/2024 published in the Official Journal, the Government freed from the mandatory rules of the red channel to those goods that have been subjected to excessive customs controls, with documentary and physical control of the goods to be imported. The use of the red channel as a barrier 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 a criterion of selection of “arbitrary” goods.“, since it concerned, by definition, goods from the textile and footwear sector, as well as products subject to anti-dumping measures in force which, in turn, already respected the additional payments established by the same measures established during the mandate of the Minister of Productive Development, Matías.Kulfas.
From now on, companies will no longer have to face expensive import costs, since the shipping cost per container is reduced by $1,200, which represents 2.5% of the average value of the goods shipped in an import, reported the ministry chaired by Luis Caputo.
Assets achieved include positions requiring labeling (finished garments such as yarn, fabric and garments for processing), technical regulatory interventions (toys), energy efficiency and electrical safety.
Meanwhile, the items to which the anti-dumping legislation applies are water heaters, radiators, boilers, air conditioners, cutlery and fans, among others which will now pass through the “general selectivity” channel.
Government eliminated 36% of import operations sent in the red channel, which represent 7% of the total operations carried out in the country. The objective is therefore to shorten delivery times and the production, marketing and/or export process, avoiding the paralysis of goods at customs and the increase in inspection costs for importers.
The regulations have sparked concern in sectors of the industry, where some chambers believe the changes ““attack the spirit of the anti-dumping mechanism” and that “the elimination of the red channel for goods subject to technical regulation represents a risk for both consumers and local producers”.
Source: Clarin
