Mexico :
Imports - partners: US 73.6%, Japan 3.7%, Germany 3.3%, Canada 2.3%,
South Korea 2%, China 1.6%, Taiwan 1.2%, Italy 1%, Brazil 1% (2000
est.)
Current Duty Level : Duties are assessed on CIF value.
VAT : VAT of 15% applies to most imports as well as domestic products.
For imports, its is calculated on the ad valorem (CIF) value. Certain
medicines and basic food are VAT exempt. In addition, a 0.8% ad
valorem customs service fee is levied on imports.
Documentation : Required documents include: a commercial invoice (in
Spanish); a bill of lading; packing list; documents demonstrating
guarantee of payment of additional duties for undervalued goods (if
applicable); Certificate of Quality issued by Secretaria de Comercio y
Fomento Industrial demonstrating compliance with Mexican product
safety and performance regulations (if applicable); special
certificate required on special nature of the goods (like sanitary,
veterinary, free sale, inspection); and a "Declaration of Value".
Import documentation procedure is to be prepared and submitted by a
licensed Mexican customs broker.
For goods requiring pre-shipment inspection by the Mexican Government,
contact the Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A. for information.
more information can be found here :
http://www.tdctrade.com/importreg/otherir.htm
Venezuela :
Imports - partners: US 53%, Japan, Colombia, Italy, Germany, France,
Brazil, Canada (1999)
Current Duty Level : Average Rate 10% (Apparently this changes quite a
bit)
All imports are assessed a one percent customs handling charge. The
import duties are calculated on the CIF value of the shipment.
Venezuela has adopted the harmonized tariff schedule. Since 1995,
Venezuela has generally adhered to the Andean Pact's Common External
Tariff, which has four tariff levels: 5, 10, 15 and 20 percent.
Automobiles carry a duty of 35 percent, and motor oil bears a
surcharge of 60 Bolivars per kilogram. Effective June 14, 1999
Congress did away with the 16.5 percent wholesale tax and replaced it
with a 14.5 percent value added tax. The June 1, 1999 0.5 percent bank
debit tax levied on all banking transactions was phased out earlier
this year.
Venezuelan customs brokers typically charge one percent of the CIF
value, or less on regular orders. There are additional charges for
document preparation and incidentals. The importer normally pays these
expenses
Documentation : Venezuelan Customs requires that all documents be in
Spanish. The invoice must be typewritten; a photocopy will not be
accepted. The manifest of importation and declaration of value must be
in quadruplicate. The following documents may be required: commercial
invoice; bill of lading; packing list; certificate of origin (if
required); special certificates or permits when required (such as
phytosanitary or quality standards certificates or Ministry of Defense
permit for firearms). Exporters should consult with the Venezuelan
importer regarding what documentation is required in addition to the
invoice.
Exporters should quote CIF prices for Venezuela (not FOB) since import
duties are calculated on the CIF price. Insurance and freight must be
listed separately on the invoice.
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Colombia :
Imports - partners: US 35%, EU 16%, Andean Community of Nations 15%,
Japan 5% (2000 est.)
Trade Barriers
During the first half of the 1990's, Colombia began lowering and
simplifying its import tariffs. Import duties are quoted ad valorem on
the CIF value of shipments. All duties (with few exceptions) have been
consolidated into four tariff levels as follows: a) 5 percent for raw
materials, intermediate and capital goods not produced in Colombia; b)
10 and 15 percent for goods in the above categories but with domestic
production registered in Colombia; c) 20 percent for finished consumer
goods; and d) some exceptions to these general rules, such as import
duties for automobiles vehicles, which remain at the level of 35
percent and 40 percent, and some agricultural products which fall
under a variable import duty system (price band). It is estimated that
the Colombian tariffs weighted average fluctuates between 11 percent
and 13.5 percent.
All imports must be registered with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign
Trade in the form of a specific application known as "Registro de
Importación".
Colombian imports are classified into three basic groups: those that
can be freely imported into the country, those requiring approval of a
previous import license, and a few items that cannot be imported. Most
products are on the "free" list and their importation is approved
automatically upon presentation of the import application or "Registro
de Importación".
U.S. exporters should be aware that the U.S. Government may prohibit
the export of certain products to Colombia or require export licenses.
The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Export Administration has
licensing responsibility for most controlled product and technology
exports.
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Peru :
Imports - partners: US 32%, EU 21%, Andean Community 6%, Mercosur 8%,
Japan 5% (1999)
Peru imposes 4% duties on 20% items on its tariff schedule (1,416
codes largely covering intermediate goods and components); 12% duties
on 64% of the items (4,422 codes); and 20% duties on 15% of importable
items (1,052 codes covering mostly textiles, footwear, and some
agricultural products). The non-weighted average tariff is 11.6%, down
from over 60% in mid-1990.
Most imports are also subject to an 18% value added tax, as are
domestically produced goods. In addition, an excise tax (ISC) is
applied to certain products such as automobiles. There are no
quantitative import restrictions.
In March 1991, Peru introduced a "temporary" 5% tax plus import
surcharge (variable levy) on some basic agricultural commodities of
which rice, corn, sugar and milk products remain taxed. The government
argued that the surcharges were necessary to offset subsidies by
exporting countries. The surcharges are calculated on a weekly basis,
according to prevailing international prices for each commodity. As a
condition for disbursement of a trade-sector loan from the
Inter-American Development Bank, the government agreed to phase out
the surcharges over a three-year period ending in 1997. The government
began reducing the surcharges in increments in April 1994, and in July
2001 this system was replaced by a "price band system" similar to one
used by the Andean Community.
Customs Regulations
The Peruvian Customs Authority has been reformed and modernized over
the last years, with help from the World Bank and the UN Development
Program. As a result, Customs procedures are almost completely
automated. Collections have more than tripled since 1991, despite
dramatically lower tariff rates, and Customs officials claim
contraband has been reduced by 65% to U.S. $350 million, from more
than U.S. $1 billion in 1990. A Customs Law was promulgated in April
1996 to consolidate these reforms. However, some U.S. exporters
continue to encounter problems with Peruvian Customs. For example, one
of the reforms, designed to combat chronic under-invoicing, was the
implementation of a pre-inspection system. The Customs service
requires that all imports above U.S. $5,000 FOB be inspected before
shipment. Three private international companies, Bureau Veritas,
Cotecna, and SGS, are authorized to conduct pre-shipment inspections
for Peru. The importer pays up to 1% of the FOB value of the goods to
cover the cost of the valuation. Importers complain that this system
creates excessive delays and forces them to meet dual sets of
requirements -- one set by the Customs officials and one by the PSI
company. The Peruvian government adopted the WTO Customs Valuation
Code for 50% of the tariff codes on January 1, 2000, and the remaining
half on April 1, 2000. Some observers believe the PSI regime has
helped police the clearance process, and supported its retention even
after the adoption of the new valuation regime.
Import Licenses
The government has abolished import licenses for the vast majority of
products. The only remaining products requiring licenses are firearms,
munitions and explosives imported by private persons, chemical
precursors (applicable to cocaine production) and ammonium nitrate
fertilizer, which has been used as a blast enhancer for terrorist car
bombs.
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Bolivia :
Imports - partners: US 32%, Japan 24%, Brazil 12%, Argentina 12%,
Chile 7%, Peru 4%, Germany 3%, other 6% (1998)
Trade Barriers, Including Tariffs and Import Taxes
The following list describes the charges imposed on imports in
Bolivia, including the customs tariff, domestic taxes and customs
fees. Bolivian import charges -- including domestic taxes (most of
which are creditable) and fees -- range from 30-45%, bringing the
effective cost of imports considerably higher than the stated 0, 2, 5
or 10% tariff.
The various components of the landed cost of an import to Bolivia
include:
1. Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF): the value at the border of the
imported product.
2. Inspection Company Fees: SGS or Inspectorate (the inspection
companies appointed by the Bolivian government) charge 1.92% of the
FOB cost of the imported product or US$52 if the cost is less than
US$1,000.
3. Custom Tariff: A 10% flat rate is applied to CIF unless the product
is classified by Supreme Decree as a "capital good," in which case the
rate is 0 percent or 5 percent; books and publications pay only 2%.
The government of Bolivia (GOB) implemented on March 23, 2001 a new
customs regulation (Supreme Decree 26110) by which all turnkey imports
of equipment and machinery from countries outside the Andean region
have (0) zero duty.
4. Customs Warehouse Fee: The Bolivian Government customs warehouse
(AADAA) operates in Bolivia's main port of entry, Arica (Chile), and
several other smaller ports (listed below); all other customs
warehouses have been privatized. A 0.5% fee is charged on CIF if
products remaining in the warehouse over 30 days, a 2% demurrage fee
is charged on CIF for up to 360 days. There are also private customs
warehouses in operation at the airports in El Alto (La Paz),
Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, all of which allow a five-day grace period
and base their rates on volume, weight and value.
5. Internal Revenue Service Fees: The value-added tax (IVA) is 13%;
added customs fees bring the effective rate to 14.94%, which is
charged on the accumulated base (items 1+2+3+4+7+8+9). (This tax can
later be offset against the importer's value-added tax liability upon
resale.) Using the example of the imported car described below, if the
importer retails the car for US$9,000, he is obliged to pay 13% plus
1.94 % of fees of that amount, US$1,719.75, to the government as a
value-added tax. Yet that amount can be reduced by the same
US$1,719.75 of value-added tax paid at the time to the car was
released from customs. A problem can arise if the does not sell a
product domestically, as is the case for petroleum companies in the
exploration phase. This applies to equipment imported by the oil
companies that is "consumed" in the process of development and cannot
be re-exported, such as pipe and drill bits. Machinery that will be
re-exported, such as helicopters and seismic equipment, can be
imported free of duty and taxes under the RITEX system, which allows
for the temporary importation of equipment.
6. Specific Consumption Tax (ICE): The ICE is charged at an additional
percentage rate on the accumulated base (items 1+2+3+4+7+8+9) if the
product is defined as a "luxury good." it affects such product lines
as automobiles (18%), perfumes (20%), cosmetics (30%), liquors (50%),
cigarettes (50%) and beer (60%).
7. Customs Forms and Fees: The Bolivian customs office charges from
US$50 to US$60 for the forms and fees required for its processing of
each shipment.
8. Customs Broker Charges: The following rates are applied to CIF for
land cargo and CIF airport value for air cargo, as customs broker
fees:
Import Licenses
Import licenses are only required for firearms, insecticides, tobacco,
certain chemical products and seeds. Pharmaceutical products must be
approved under World Health Organization guidelines and registered
with the Vice Ministry of Health. Insecticides
A very complicated Country with lots of rules. Much more information
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Brazil :
Imports - partners: US 24%, Argentina 12%, Germany 10%, Japan 5%,
Italy 5% (1999)
Trade Barriers, including tariffs, non-tariff barriers and import
taxes.
Since 1990, Brazil has made substantial progress in reducing
traditional border trade barriers (tariffs, import licensing, etc.),
even though tariff rates in many areas are still high. Significant
non-border trade barriers remain.
In January 1997, the Secretariat of Foreign Trade (SECEX) implemented
a computerized trade documentation system (SISCOMEX) to handle import
licensing, and a wide variety of products were subject to
non-automatic licensing. There are fees assessed per import statement
submitted through SISCOMEX, and importers must comply with onerous
registration guidelines, including a minimum capital requirement, to
register with SECEX (the Foreign Trade Secretariat). Complete
information on requirements for importing into Brazil is available
only through SISCOMEX, which is only available to registered
importers. Beginning in October 1998, Brazil issued a series of
administrative measures that required additional
sanitary/phytosanitary (SPS), quality and safety approvals from
various government entities for products subject to non-automatic
licenses.
In 1998, in order to fight increasing under-invoicing, Brazil issued a
series of measures that required additional approvals for products
subject to non-automatic licensing, and broadened the list of such
products. While the Government is now in the process of phasing these
out and moving most products to the automatic license category, these
requirements still present a barrier. Under Brazil's new Customs
Valuation regulations, Customs will focus its efforts on
under-invoicing, and are authorized to hold up imports until the goods
are valued.
A primary concern has been the use of minimum reference prices both as
a requirement to obtain import licenses and/or as a base requirement
for import. It appears that the Government of Brazil has required some
products to meet minimum prices for the issuance of import licenses
and/or in order to receive normal customs processing. This would raise
questions about whether Brazil's regime is consistent with its
obligations under the WTO. In November 1999, the United States
actively participated as an interested third party in European WTO
consultations on the issue, and in July 2000 the United States held
its own WTO consultations with Brazil. The Brazilian Government
reportedly has modified its customs regime somewhat, but it has not
codified these changes in a public document. Senior Brazilian
officials have stated to embassy officers since late 1999 that such
requirements currently do not exist.
In addition, product registrations from the Ministry of Health are
required for imported processed food products and food supplement
products effective March 1, 2000, with a reduced term of validity for
registrations. Registration fees for these imports, as well as for
medical and pharmaceutical products, also increased significantly over
the course of 1999. The U.S. Government also has received complaints
relating to Brazil's "law of similars," including that it leads to
non-transparent preferences for Brazilian products in procurement bids
for government and non-profit hospitals and prejudices against the
import of refurbished medical equipment when domestically-produced
"similars" exist. Implementation of such import measures continues to
be poorly coordinated and not well publicized, magnifying the negative
impact on U.S. exports.
Tariffs, in general, are the primary instrument in Brazil for
regulating imports. The Brazilian applied tariff has 9,371 tariff
lines at the eight-digit level, comprising rates of zero to 35
percent. All tariffs are ad valorem, levied on the c.i.f. value of the
import, with the exception of some telecommunication goods. Brazil's
average applied tariff was 13.7 percent in 2000. The average tariff in
1990, by contrast, was 32 percent. Brazil also maintains a higher
average tariff on processed items than on semi-processed goods and raw
materials. The average tariff on finished goods is 15.8 percent; for
semi-processed goods 11.9 percent; and for raw materials 8.9 percent.
The United States continues to encourage tariff reductions on products
of interest to U.S. firms.
Brazil and its Southern Common Market (MERCOSUL) partners, Argentina,
Paraguay and Uruguay, implemented the MERCOSUL Common External Tariff
(CET) on January 1, 1995. In November 1997, after consulting with its
MERCOSUL partners, Brazil implemented an across-the-board
three-percentage point increase on all tariffs (inside and outside the
CET), raising the ceiling from 20 to 23 percent. Only energy inputs
such as coal and petroleum and agricultural inputs such as seeds were
exempted. Although Brazil had agreed with other MERCOSUL members to
end the temporary three-percentage point increase beginning January
2001, a more modest reduction schedule has been implemented. A half
percentage point decrease was agreed to by MERCOSUL members effective
January 2001, and an additional one percentage point decrease will
take place on January 1, 2002, with the remaining one percentage point
likely ending sometime in 2002-2003.
In early 2001, the CET covered approximately 85 percent of 9,500
tariff items, with most of the remaining items scheduled to be covered
during 2001, and full coverage by 2006. The CET levels range between
zero and a maximum of 23 percent, with the exception of tariffs on
Brazil's national list of exceptions to the CET, such as shoes,
automobiles and consumer electronics, and telecommunications
equipment, computers, and some capital goods. The rates for the latter
three product groups are scheduled to conform to the CET by the year
2006, at which time the maximum rates will be 14 percent for capital
goods and 16 percent for computers and telecommunications equipment.
The tariff rates for these goods are generally higher than average.
However, in March 2001 a waiver was given to Argentina, in the face of
severe economic difficulties, to temporarily raise extra-bloc tariffs
on a large number of consumer goods to 35 percent and reduce tariffs
on a large number of capital goods to zero. Given, this development,
the CET is currently full of exceptions. With the exception of sugar
and automobiles and parts, trade between Brazil and Argentina is duty
free.
The United States signed a trade and investment framework agreement
with this emerging common market in 1991. The United States will
continue to encourage the reduction of barriers to trade and
investment, including tariffs and the creation of a customs union that
is open and consistent with the WTO, specifically GATT Article XXIV.
Tax and Fees Assessed on Imports
Imports are subject to a number of taxes and fees in Brazil, which are
usually paid during the customs clearance process. There are three
main taxes that account for the bulk of importing costs -- (1) Import
Duty itself (known in Brazil as the "II"), (2) the Industrialized
Product tax (known in Brazil as the "IPI"), and (3) the Merchandise
and Service Circulation tax (known in Brazil as the "ICMS"). Please
note that most taxes are calculated on a cumulative basis. In addition
to these three taxes, several other taxes and fees apply to imports;
such costs are discussed below.
· Import Duty
Import duty is a federally mandated product specific tax. After the
creation of the MERCOSUR customs union, the four member countries --
i.e., Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay -- adopted a single
import tariff structure known as the "common external tariff" (known
in Brazil as the "TEC"). While after the adoption of the TEC,
Brazilian import tariff rates were reduced, they are still high in
comparison to U.S. import tariff rates. In most cases, Brazilian
import duty rates range from 10 - 20 percent.
· Industrialized Product Tax (IPI)
The IPI is a federal tax levied on most domestic and imported
manufactured products. It is assessed at the point of sale by the
manufacturer or processor in the case of domestically produced goods,
and at the point of customs clearance in the case of imports. The IPI
tax is not considered a cost for the importer, since the value is
credited to the importer. Specifically, when the product is sold to
the end user, the importer debits the IPI cost.
The Government of Brazil levies the IPI rate by determining how
essential the product may be for the Brazilian end-user. Generally,
the IPI tax rate ranges from 0 to 15 percent. In the case of imports,
the tax is charged on the product's c.i.f. value plus import duty.
Often one can note that usually a relatively low import tariff rate
carries a lower IPI rate. Conversely, a relatively high import tariff
rate carries a correspondingly higher IPI rate. As with value-added
taxes in Europe, IPI taxes on products that pass through several
stages of processing can be adjusted to compensate for IPI taxes paid
at each stage. Brazilian exports are exempt from the IPI tax.
· Merchandise and Service Circulation Tax (ICMS)
The ICMS is a state government value-added tax applicable to both
imports and domestic products. The ICMS tax on imports is assessed ad
valorem on the c.i.f. value, plus import duty, plus IPI. Although
importers have to pay the ICMS to clear the imported product through
Customs, it is not necessarily a cost item for the importer, because
the paid value represents a credit to the importer. When the product
is sold to the end-user, the importer debits the ICMS, which is
included in the final price of the product and is paid by the
end-user.
Effectively, the tax is paid only on the value-added, since the cost
of the tax is generally passed on to the buyer in the price charged
for the merchandise. The ICMS tax due to the state government by
companies is based on taxes collected on sales by the company, minus
the taxes paid in purchasing raw materials and intermediate goods. The
ICMS tax is levied on both intrastate and interstate transactions and
is assessed on every transfer or movement of merchandise. The rate
varies among states, in the State of Sao Paulo, the rate is 18
percent. On interstate movements, the tax will be assessed at the rate
applicable in the state of destination. (Some sectors of the economy,
such as construction services, mining, electrical energy, liquid and
gaseous fuels are exempt from the ICMS tax. Most Brazilian exports are
exempt.)
· Additional Miscellaneous Taxes and Fees
- Warehouse Tax: 0.65% of CIF for a 15 day period
- Typical Terminal Handling Charges at Santos' port: US$100 per
container
- Merchant Marine Tax: 25% of ocean freight charges (does not apply to
air freight)
- Mandatory Contribution to Custom Broker's union: 2.2% of CIF with a
minimum contribution of US$71 and a ceiling set at US$160
- SISCOMEX usage fee: US$30
- Typical Cargo Transportation Fee: US$35
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Paraguay :
Imports - partners: Brazil, US, Argentina, Uruguay, EU, Hong Kong
Tariffs and Import Taxes; Customs Valuation
Paraguay is a member of Mercosur (Common Market of the South), a
common market and customs union comprised of Argentina, Brazil,
Paraguay and Uruguay. Since 1995 Paraguay has increased many of its
external tariffs on products from non-Mercosur countries in order to
conform to the Mercosur Common External Tariff (CET) of 0-20 percent.
The tariffs on the 399 items on Paraguay's list of exceptions will be
increased annually until they reach parity with the CET in 2006. In
December 1997, the ceiling on the Common External Tariff was increased
from 20 to 23 percent, but Paraguay was granted over 300 additional
exceptions to this increase. The CET ceiling is scheduled to revert to
20 percent at the end of the year 2000.
Import Licenses; Export Controls
Paraguay has an open market and does not require import licenses,
except for guns and ammunition (the United States prohibits the export
of guns and ammunition from the United States to Paraguay). Paraguay
has no export controls.
Import/Export Documentation
Import and export operations must be both processed through authorized
banks and supervised by the Central Bank of Paraguay. Documents
required for general imports include a letter of credit issued by a
local bank as well as the following documents provided by the
merchandise vendor: certificate of origin, commercial invoice, packing
list, and bill of lading. The last four documents must be certified by
a Paraguayan Consulate in the country of origin.
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Chile :
Imports - partners: US 24%, EU 23%, Argentina 11%, Brazil 6%, Japan
6%, Mexico 5% (1998)
Imports are subject to the same 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) as
are domestic goods.
Customs Valuation
Chilean customs valuation uses the normal value of merchandise,
without special discounts, plus freight and insurance (CIF). Used
goods are valued by the customs service according to the current new
value of similar merchandise, discounting ten percent per year of use,
up to a 70-percent discount.
Import Licenses
All imports require a license, but, according to legislation governing
the Central Bank since 1990, import licenses are granted as a routine
procedure for nearly all goods. Licensing requirements are maintained
largely as a statistical gathering mechanism, not as a control. The
general licensing requirements will disappear in an upcoming
modernization of Chile's customs procedures. However, more rigorous
licensing procedures apply for pharmaceuticals and weapons.
Import/Export Documentation
Chile's Central Bank requires importers to obtain a registration
certificate for goods valued over $3,000. Exporters must fill out a
registration certificate when exporting goods valued over $2,000 FOB.
This is to help the government gather trade data. Other commercial
forms used by both local importers and exporters are commercial
invoices, certificates of origin, bills of lading, freight insurance
and packing lists. Special permission, certificates, and approval
documents are required in special cases and can be obtained from
National Health Service (Servicio Nacional de Salud, SNS), the
Agricultural and Livestock Service (Servicio Agricola y Ganadero,
SAG), and the National Fishing Service (Servicio Nacional de Pesca,
SERNAP), depending on the nature of the products to be imported.
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Argentina :
Imports - partners: EU 28%, US 22%, Brazil 21% (1999 est.)
Tariff and Import Taxes
Argentina and its MERCOSUR partners established the MERCOSUR common
external tariff (CET) on January 1, 1995. The CET ranges from zero to
thirty percent, and until recently averaged 17 percent. Since January
1, 1998, as a temporary measure until December 31, 2000, Argentina and
its MERCOSUR partners implemented a 3 percent tariff increase that
affects all imports into Argentina, except those from Uruguay,
Paraguay and Brazil (i.e. 14% + 3% of additional import duty). Tariff
lines with zero percent duty, capital goods, telecommunication and
computing services are exempted. As of January 2001, the CET has been
reduced to 2.5 percent, and there are expectations that it will be
reduced to 1.5 percent by 2002.
The CET gradually eliminated all non-tariff restrictions and other
limitations to trade among the member countries, reaching zero duty
and removing all tariff restrictions for approximately 85 percent of
traded goods. There is a list of a few products temporarily exempted
from this status, mainly a few sensitive products, which are subject
to gradual tariff adjustment over a five-year period. Capital goods
and information-related technology are excepted until 2001, while
telecommunications equipment will not be covered until 2006. Argentina
raised the tariffs on these goods to help counter an expected fiscal
shortfall.
As a general rule, some goods not produced within the MERCOSUR, as
well as newsprint and books, certain petroleum products, and certain
capital goods and telecom goods pay 0 percent of import duties. Other
products, such as food and vegetables pay 25 percent, while certain
consumer products pay 28 or 35 percent. These tariffs apply to the
declared CIF value in Argentina. This tariff structure does not apply
on products coming form MERCOSUR countries.
In addition to the tariffs, the following fees and taxes are applied:
0.5 percent of statistics fee is paid on the CIF value, except capital
goods. This fee is not levied on MERCOSUR intra-zone trade.
21 or 10.5 percent (depending upon the product) of Value Added Tax
(VAT) on the CIF value plus tariff plus statistics fee.
10 or 5.5 percent (depending upon the product) of advanced VAT on CIF
plus tariff and statistics fee on all goods imported for resale. Goods
imported directly by end-users are exempted.
3 percent anticipated profits tax on all retail goods, except for
goods imported directly by users. Individuals pay 11 percent.
VAT and Profits Tax are deductible from gross income tax.
The CIF value plus the duty and the import statistics fee are the base
for the application of domestic taxes. For this reason imports must be
supported by the foreign supplier's invoice.
Customs Valuation
Since January 1, 1992, the Argentine tariff classification system
--Harmonized System (HS)-- has been used to specify tariff
classifications. The HS was implemented on January 1, 1992 and is
aligned with the WTO Customs Classification Code adopted in 1979.
On January 1, 1995, Argentina implemented the MERCOSUR Common
Nomenclature, known as the Nomenclatura Comun del MERCOSUR (NCM),
which is consistent with the U.S. Harmonized System for tariff
classification.
Ad-valorem duties are assessed on the C.I.F. value of the imported
merchandise (at the Argentine port or airport concerned). The average
unweighted tariff is approximately 17 percent.
Minimum Import Prices
In May 2001 the Argentine Government introduced minimum import prices
on several products covered by specific HS codes. Argentine Customs
Resolution AFIP 1004/2001 established a reference value/minimum import
price system; Resolution AFIP 1008/2001 stipulated reference
values/minimum import prices for products covered by some 145 HS
classifications. If declared import value is lower than the reference
value, merchandise is slugged for inspection under the "Purple
Channel" regime. Importer must then make a deposit for the taxes on
the price differential in order to take merchandise out of customs.
This deposit will be held during the period of investigation on the
"real" import price.
In determining the minimum import price, Argentine Customs will take
into consideration information derived from:
· Argentine Customs records on goods imported for consumption.
· Available public and private databases.
· Services of specialized firms hired to that effect.
For lists of the U.S.-made products for which minimum import prices
have been established, please contact Commercial Service Buenos Aires
at Buenos.Aires.Office.Box@mail.doc.gov.
more information here :
http://170.110.104.27/autosuggest.asp?docid=9683000&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Estate%2Egov%2Fp%2Fwha%2Fci%2Fc2903%2Ehtm&ip=&port=&imgflg=&sumflg=ContextSummary&author=
With all of these questions I thought this document would be of some
benefit to you as well.
It is a PDF file of rules, regulations and taxes on importing used
automobile parts to several different countries
http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/auto/remanparts.pdf
I hope this answers your questions and as always if you need
clarification on any of this, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks
webadept-ga |
