From the industrial sector they are waiting for Javier Milei’s proposals for SMEs, but they anticipate his rejection of total deregulation. In turn, they spoke out after Sergio Massa passed through Santa Fe, where he promised to remove taxes for exporting SMEs.
sectors. Metallurgical SMEs, among the most benefited.
Eleven days before the runoff, the different economic groups in Argentina demand answers about the government programs of each candidate. This time it was his turn industrial sectorwho listens and evaluates Sergio Massa’s proposals, while complaining about the lack of clear initiatives on the part of Javier Milei in this area. The proposal of his economic advisor Darío Epstein of total opening in two years is at the center of the complaint.
“For those who are uneasy because we believe in an open economy, I tell them: in the current situation, if we send them to compete, of the 400,000 SMEs, half would be left behind. We are not going to open at a disadvantage. We are going to remove all the inconsistencies, and in a couple of years when there is less inflation and reasonable rates, legal certainty and a new labor law, there will be an important opening and there they will have to compete. “Some companies and sectors will not have the strength and others, such as agribusiness, will not have any problems.”
The phrase of Epstein, a member of the economic team of La Libertad Avanza (LLA), was mentioned in an activity for Industry Day and the least thing that left him was peace of mind. The thing is that he anticipated that two years will serve as a prelude to the only thing that Milei proposed so far for the industry, according to its electoral platform: “Unilateral trade opening to the Chilean style”. It would have been pertinent to develop this model, based on economic deregulation without reciprocity, in the Argentine Industrial Union (UIA), an institution that called the candidate for next week, but decided not to attend. The UIA confirmed that Milei will not attend due to agenda items, although she will attend the Inter-American Council of Commerce and Production (CICyP) on 11/15, of which the entity is a part. “We will continue listening to the candidates and once the election is resolved, we will compare their proposals with ours,” they say.
This medium tried to get more details from LLA about its industrial model, but the response was: “There is nothing we can highlight at the moment.” From the sector they want yes. The Santa Fe industrialists grouped in FISFEE released a statement that reads: “We want a country where the state has a virtuous role. (…) Without national industry there is no work, and without work we have no way out.” Román Guajardo, president of the UIA Rosario region, assures that his strongest concern is that “not taking advantage of the virtuous cycle that is proposed to us going forward”, hand in hand with industry, but also energy, mining, agriculture and food. and knowledge economy. According to the industrialist, Milei was also invited to Sauce Viejo, but the Santa Fe Development Agency comments that “only Sergio Massa” agreed, who was present in the last few hours.
SMEs also request Milei’s tour of companies. “He never made mention of any proposal nor has he mentioned SMEs in his latest statements. If the State does not participate in public works, it would generate a setback in productive development, destroying federalism. It is impossible to think that we could be Germany with this model,” says Mauro González, head of the General SME Confederation. The mention of the European country is not minor, since Milei aspires to be on par with Germany in twenty years.
On the other hand, the Economy Minister visited industrialists in the Florencio Varela Industrial and Technological Park. Over there, announced that from January 1 all internal taxes will be eliminated for SMEs that increase their exports compared to 2023. At the same time, he recalled that social programs will become dependent on the Ministry of Labor, so that the beneficiaries “are prepared in the labor market,” while registrations for employment exchanges will be mandatory, as well as training in all municipalities.
For Daniel Rosato, head of Industriales Pymes Argentinos (IPA), the importance of an economic program with a high industrial component lies in recent history. During Mauricio Macri’s administration, the industry suffered the closure of more than 25,000 SMEs and increases in energy rates of up to 2,500%. “This really gives us a picture of what is going to happen, what can happen in Argentina with one proposal or another,” concludes the businessman.
Source: Ambito
