Argentina, among the 20 countries with the most barriers to trade due to high costs and stock of imports

the Frequent complaints Which importers are raising due to the delays they are experiencing in obtaining a license for goods trying to enter the country does not respond only to the delicate balance that the government is trying to achieve in the exchange balance and availability of dollars, in an election year. There is also a correlation between the high cost of import, which exposes local industries to transformation out of competition, with no opportunity to integrate into global value chains.

A recent technical report on a global scale reveals that Argentina is among the 20 countries that pose the most obstacles to imports, by collecting import duties or tariffs at the border that make goods more expensive and impede their access to domestic manufacturers and consumers.

to me global profiles who explains periodically WTO (WTO) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), Argentina imposes an average customs duty of 13.4% on goodsThe peak rate in some cases was 35%. The global average is about 8.7%.

Among the 135 countries with updated statistics, Argentina ranks 15th among the countries with the highest tariff rates, surpassed only by Bhutan, Iran, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Comoros, India, Bangladesh, Venezuela, Uganda, South Korea and Kenya. Meanwhile, Brazil ranks 16th with an average tariff of 13.3%..

NS Marcelo ElizondoDirector of the consulting firm DNI and specialist in foreign trade, Argentina’s high tariff burden “It has several problems: too expensive access to technology, qualified capital goods, too difficult participation in global value chains, as well as distortions in the elements that pay more than 30%, and others that pay nothing.”.

In fact, the global index revealed by the World Trade Organization and UNCTAD revives the debate at this time within Mercosur, with Brazil and Uruguay trying to cut Common foreign tariff (AEC), which is about 11.6%. governments Neighbor Bolsonaro and Luis Lacalle Poe Press for a 10% discount across the board, but the chancellor, by order Alberto FernandezIt proposes a 75% reduction in tariff positions, but without affecting protectionist barriers to sensitive industries that would be affected by further ease of entry for consumer goods.

According to Elizondo, “60% of international trade takes place between countries that have lowered their tariff rate to zero, and 30 years ago that reflected only 5% of global transactions.” In his opinion, high tariffs set a ceiling for the development of the domestic economy, since “the main component of imports is directed to investment: they are parts and parts to repair or repair, and Argentina is among the worst in the world. . classificationIt works against competition.”

the historian Government officials were asked to express their opinion on the situation achieved in classification. But he received no response.