Argentina Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in argentina, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Trade Standards
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Standards Organizations

There are two private sector organizations that work under the National System for Standards, Quality, and Certification. The Argentine Standards Institute (Instituto Argentino de Normalización, IRAM) is the official Argentine standards body. The Argentine Accreditation Organization (Organismo Argentino de Acreditación, OAA) is the accreditation body. These are the only organizations that carry out standardization and accreditation in Argentina. As of May 2013, there are mutual recognition agreements between major foreign certification organizations and IRAM. However, it is recommended that exporters check the current status of these agreements prior to initiating new business arrangements or sending a significant shipment of goods that require IRAM certification.

Agricultural and Health-Related Products

Agricultural and health-related products are subject to specific and different voluntary standards and mandatory technical regulations. Medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and foods are the purview of the National Administration of Drugs, Foods, and Medical Devices (Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnologia Medica,  ANMAT).

Standards and Regulations in Mercosur

Argentina, as an active Mercosurmember, participates in the development of Mercosurstandards and regulations. The MercosurStandards AssociationAsociación MERCOSUR de Normalización or AMN(AMN, previously known as the Comité Mercosur de Normalización) is composed of the standards institutes of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay and develops and harmonizes voluntary regional standards. The Executive Secretariat of the AMN is in Sao Paulo, Brazil.  

Regional technical regulations are developed and/or harmonized by Mercosurgovernments in Sub Working Group 3. Approved Mercosurtechnical regulations are not automatically applicable in each country. To be applicable, harmonized Mercosurregulations must be adopted by each country. The four countries generally adopt all Mercosurregulations, though at varying speeds.

Testing, Inspection and Certification

Mandatory Testing and Mandatory Product Certification

Regulated products must display an official safety “S” mark to show they conform to the regulations. However, as described above and due to implementation issues, it is difficult to state with certainty at this time the products that must be tested, certified, and marked as required by the resolutions. Customs agents, freight forwarders, chambers of commerce and industry, and trade associations are useful resources to obtain information on requirements for specific products.

Non-Mandatory Testing and Product Certification

There is no legal mandate to retest non-regulated products that have been approved in their country of origin. For non-regulated products, some U.S. trademarks and product certifications are well known and accepted in Argentina. As with standards, any certification that may be required for non-regulated sectors is a contractual matter to be decided between the buyer and the seller. However, it is important to be aware that market conditions and preferences may impose the use of particular standards, certifications, or trademarks.

Traditionally, product certification in Argentina has been mostly voluntary with few active organizations including IRAM. However, this has changed due to the partial implementation of regulations that mandate product certification.  A number of U.S. certification bodies are now active in Argentina, along with several multinationals and new local entities.

The National Institute of Industrial Technology (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial, INTI), is a government agency that participates in standards development and performs product testing and certification. Due to the continuing shortage of independent laboratories in Argentina, INTI is viewed as a prime testing and calibration laboratory for the country.

To facilitate acceptance of U.S. products in the Argentine market, agreements between U.S. and local certifiers and testing houses are encouraged. This could provide recognition of existing certifications. Also, there is no impediment for U.S. certification organizations to be established and accredited in Argentina.

Accreditation

Entities that engage in certification for regulated products must be accredited by the Argentine Accreditation Organization (Organismo Argentino de Acreditación) and recognized by the Argentine government. Testing laboratories must be similarly accredited and recognized.

Publication of Technical Regulations

Low-voltage electrical equipment was the first product category subjected to safety regulations and mandatory certification (Resolution 92/98). Regulations have also been issued for toys, shoes, gas appliances and products, construction steel, elevators, energy consumption and noise labeling of appliances, closures for dangerous products, and personal protective equipment. Since late 1999, efforts have been concentrated on implementation rather than adding new categories of products under safety regulations.

Most electrical and electronic products in the consumer marketplace are still subject to regulation. Evidence of compliance with the regulation is mandatory through product certification.

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