Getting electronics in at EZE

[AlexanderB]

If you or anyone else can provide more details on the exact terms of the import restrictions and what they cover, I'd be very curious.

 

[El chabon]

Everything that is imported need to be cleared, the importeren who pats THE best Bruges get them out THE fastest

 

[AlexanderB]

Speaking of which:

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/6627047c-39ea-11e0-82aa-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1mX2G9VsV

http://www.gfkrt.com/news_events/market_news/single_sites/008637/index.en.html

http://en.mercopress.com/2012/02/01...ictions-come-into-effect-claims-from-mercosur

 

[Crema Americana]

If you or anyone else can provide more details on the exact terms of the import restrictions and what they cover, I'd be very curious.

Details are hard to find... the list offered here is rather incomplete.
http://www.comercio.gov.ar/web/index.php?pag=93


Textiles, cars, toys, tires, shoes, appliances, glass, books, etc... there's about 200 goods affected and they're planning on increasing the list. Companies are either significantly limited or completely blocked from importing, or such in the case of car companies, have to export an equal amount of Argentine product to offset what they import. So you have companies like BMW exporting rice, soy, peanuts, or water to sell cars.
http://www.ieco.clarin.com/economia...ices-Ministerio_de_Industria_0_571743009.html
That doesn't stop autos and auto parts from getting stuck in customs indefinitely... as happened last year where car buyers had to wait months to receive their cars.

Apparently not even Barbie is safe!
http://www.elnuevoherald.com/2011/03/09/900174/argentina-limita-importaciones.html

Policies change almost monthly... but this recent article talks about a new sworn statement importers must make to bring goods into the country.
Under the new system importers need to make an anticipated sworn statement of planned imports “previous to the issuing of the request, purchase order or similar document used for completing overseas purchasing operations”.
http://en.mercopress.com/2012/01/11...w-restrictions-to-slow-consumer-goods-imports


Basically Argentina is trying to have its cake and eat it, too.


I see you've found it. In any case, this doesn't really apply to tourists as you can bring whatever to your heart's content! Just don't look like an importor by bringing too many of one thing, like boxed Barbie dolls.

 

[AlexanderB]

I see you've found it. In any case, this doesn't really apply to tourists as you can bring whatever to your heart's content! Just don't look like an importor by bringing too many of one thing, like boxed Barbie dolls.

Yeah, I know. But there are larger quality-of-life questions to be raised about a society in which commonplace things taken for granted elsewhere must be personally imported, because they are sparsely available and massively (not just a little bit) more expensive, solely on account of trade policy, rather than logistics, infrastructure, etc.

Cheap Chinese electronics do die from time to time, or succumb to planned obsolescence. One does have to replace them. It's depressing to think that this is going to be 10x harder. By no means was I expecting an easy, sedentary life with a big-box store in my front yard, but this is some seriously idiotic policy. It just creates shortages, nothing more.

 

[citygirl]

.... It just creates shortages, nothing more.

That is does. Wait until you need to buy a washing machine/dryer/iron/whatever. You can't find them anymore. And it's only going to get worse.

 

[jago25_98]

How did Argentina become so protectionist anyway?

 

[nicoenarg]

How did Argentina become so protectionist anyway?

I think the propaganda that the crash of 2001 was not Argentina's fault in anyway but foreign coroprtations were the only culprits along with the IMF makes protectionism very popular here.

 

[AlexanderB]

Well, so much for Mercosur. One of the things it was set up to most explicitly promote was the elimination of non-tariff restrictions on the transit of goods, or any other measures with similar net effect.

 

[nicoenarg]

Well, so much for Mercosur. One of the things it was set up to most explicitly promote was the elimination of non-tariff restrictions on the transit of goods, or any other measures with similar net effect.

There's a reason Brazil and Uruguay are sick of Cristina.