The restrictions on imports set by the government of Alberto Fernandez in Argentinaweeks ago, began to affect Uruguayan exporting companies, which had already been denouncing this situation prior to the new provisions.
According to data collected by the Chamber of Industries of Uruguay (CIU)the outlook worsened for Uruguayan exporters in the last 45 days, first with the restrictions that the Ministry of Economy Argentine imposed on importers from his country and then deepened after the elections STEP of August 13.
In that period, Argentina reduced by 90% the sale of permits for goods produced in the country to enter its market Uruguay.
At least 13 companies are in a critical situation, with unauthorized imports worth 4.5 million dollars. To them are added others that have frozen exports for 18 million dollars, estimated the Foreign Trade Commission of the CIU, reported El Observador.
The authorities of the Chamber, however, estimate that this is the floor of the complex situation that Uruguayan exporters are going through since the figures correspond to affected companies that reported their current situation.
Fernando Pachepresident of the CIU, affirmed that the restrictions on Argentina grew after the STEP and that the largest number of payments that are authorized are made for a period of six months. “The uncertainty of the Uruguayan industry regarding Argentina It’s total,” he stressed.
What Argentine measures affected Uruguayan exports?
On July 25, the Argentine Economy Minister and presidential candidate for Peronism, Sergio Massaannounced a tax package that taxes imports of goods at 7.5% (with some exceptions such as energy) and the same amount for freight, while the payment of services abroad will be covered by the COUNTRY tax which is 25%.
A week later, the Federal Administration of Public Revenues (AFIP) of Argentina the quota allowed for importing companies to make purchases abroad through the system of Financial Economic Capacity (CEF), affecting the import capacity of some large companies.
It should be remembered that the discomfort over the restrictions on Uruguayan goods had already been mentioned by the government during the last summit of the mercosur.
So the president Luis Lacalle Pou and the chancellor Francisco Bustillo They openly demanded that Argentina end the obstacles to imports from Uruguay. According to data from the Executive, there are at least 600 import permits for Uruguayan goods pending authorization by the Argentine State.
Source: Ambito
