VZCZCXYZ0043
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1689/01 2391546
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 271546Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9037
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC
RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6488
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6342
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 6693
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0714
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6343
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AUG CARACAS 1444
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3493
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 2326

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001689 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR WHA/BSC 
EEB/TPP/ABT FOR PAUL SAXTON 
PASS USTR FOR KATHERINE DUCKWORTH AND MARY SULLIVAN 
TREASURY FOR ROSELLEN ALBANO 
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/OLAC/PEACHER 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD TBIO AR
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: STARTING AN IMPORT SAFETY DIALOGUE 
 
REF: (A) STATE 114788, (B) BUENOS AIRES 1644, (C) BUENOS AIRES 1648 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: GoA officials confirmed, in response to Ref A 
questions, that import safety issues are a concern, but to date they 
have taken only limited measures to increase safety inspections. 
The GoA announced on August 17, 2007 new measures to restrict 
imports from 13 Asian countries (Ref B).  While those announcements 
cited safety concerns as one criterion for increased restrictions, 
measures implemented to date appear primarily designed to protect 
local industry from import competition (Ref C), and no new 
regulations relating to product safety have been issued. 
Information on how Argentina regulates safety issues is detailed in 
paragraphs 5 to 13.  END SUMMARY 
 
-------------------------- 
Contact with GOA Officials 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Argentine agriculture, livestock, and food safety 
inspection service (SENASA) officials Mr. Oscar Astibia, Coordinator 
for International Relations and Dr. Carlos Ameri, National Director 
for Agricultural Food Safety met with Ag Counselor David Mergen and 
Agricultural Specialist Francisco Pirovano August 21 to discuss 
Argentine consumer product safety concerns regarding agricultural 
and food products and how the U.S. and Argentina can cooperate on 
safety issues.  The Agricultural Office in the Embassy is in regular 
contact with SENASA regarding safety requirements for Argentine food 
exports to the U.S.  Mr. Astibia stated that SENASA has not received 
any orders from the GoA to change any processes or requirements for 
food imports due to the recent problems of food safety encountered 
with products from China in other countries.  Mr. Astibia explained 
that SENASA's Resolution 816 is the relevant Argentine regulation 
that regulates meat and livestock products under SENASA's 
jurisdiction.  Resolution 816 states that processing plant 
inspections can be required, as determined by SENASA, before 
granting an import permit for a product manufactured in such plant. 
 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Patricia Andreo, Director of Import Authorization at the 
National Food Institute (INAL) told an Embassy official on Aug. 22 
that there has been increased awareness and concern over tainted 
products (mainly ceramic products) from China which has resulted in 
more thorough inspections of imported products.  They are now doing 
100 percent testing for contaminants of ceramic products from China. 
 On August 1, 2007, INAL began to randomly sample food shipments 
from all destinations to check that the products meet composition 
standards set out in the product registration. They are also 
checking for bacteria and other requirements.  In particular, they 
are more closely inspecting products from China, with special 
attention to those ingredients/raw materials that will be used to 
manufacture food in Argentina.  INAL has also been looking more 
closely at packaging. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Maria Rivera from the Under Secretariat of Domestic 
Commerce, Secretariat of Industry and Commerce spoke to Agricultural 
Specialist Francisco Pirovano on August 22 regarding additional 
measures taken in the wake of the recent increase in product safety 
concerns.  She said that her agency has not increased measures or 
restrictions and that as long as a product has the necessary 
certification from a Secretariat approved certifying agency, the 
product is allowed entry into the country. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Import Regulatory Entities for Food Products 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) There are three official entities that regulate food safety 
standards, packaging, and transportation of food products in 
Argentina: 
 
¶A. The National Service of Agricultural Food Health and Quality 
(Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria - SENASA) 
handles fresh, chilled, or frozen products and by-products of 
 
animal, plant and seafood origin.  It also handles canned products 
containing over 60 percent animal origin and food preparations 
containing over 80 percent animal origin. 
 
¶B. The National Food Institute (Instituto Nacional de Alimentos - 
INAL), a division of ANMAT (see below) regulates processed food 
products which are prepared for direct human consumption, health 
supplements, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, with 
the exception of wine. 
 
¶C. The National Wine Institute (Instituto Nacional de 
Vitivinicultura - INV) exercises control over wine and wine products 
during their production, manufacturing, and marketing. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Regulatory Agencies for Non-Food Products 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
¶6.  (U) Argentina's regulatory equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration (Administracion Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y 
Tecnologia Medica - ANMAT), within the Ministry of Health, regulates 
and prohibits imports of certain toxic substances contained in 
products such as pharmaceutical products and cosmetics. 
 
¶7.  (U) The Under Secretariat of Domestic Commerce, part of 
Argentina's Secretariat of Industry and Commerce, controls imports 
of toys and electric products.  For those products to enter the 
country, they must be certified by an Argentine certification 
company approved by the Secretariat. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Regulations and Controls for Food Products 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶8.  (U) SENASA's resolution 256/03 establishes the Maximun Residue 
Limits (MRLs) for products that are traded in the country.  The 
mechanism to set them is as follows: a chemical company that applies 
for a pesticide to be released in the Argentine market must carry 
out a two-year study in three different agro-ecological areas of 
Argentina. The sampling method to be used in these cases is the one 
that is approved by FAO.  Argentina uses the Tolerated Daily Intake 
(Ingesta Diaria Admisible - in Spanish) suggested by the Codex 
Alimentarius for the Latin American Region 14 as a reference. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Products Imported Through SENASA 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (U) "Fresh, Chilled, or Frozen Products and By-products of 
Animal and Seafood Origin" are covered by SENASA Resolution No. 
816/02.  An import permit is required to import products and 
by-products of animal origin into Argentina.  The permit is obtained 
from SENASA and should be requested by an importer who has already 
been registered at SENASA and who has registered the facility 
intending to export to Argentina. 
 
¶10.  (U) Products of Plant Origin: A Phytosanitary Certificate 
issued by officials in the exporting countries is required for all 
plant products entering into Argentina.  Upon arrival in Argentina, 
SENASA holds the product at the port of entry for inspection and to 
verify that it meets all the requirements stated in phytosanitary 
certificate.  SENASA then issues an import certificate for Customs 
to release the product. 
 
------------------------------ 
Products Imported Through INAL 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11.  (U) Processed Foods, and Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic Beverages, 
Except Wine:  Product and importer registration is required prior to 
importing a product into Argentina.  The product must be registered 
by an importer who has already completed the registration process at 
INAL.  Registrations are normally ready in less than thirty (30) 
days. 
 
------------------------------------ 
Products Imported Through INV (Wine) 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶12.  (U) INV requires the following for wine imports: 
The importer must be registered with the INV.  The imported product 
must come accompanied by a certificate issued by the appropriate 
official authority of the country of origin, stating its analytical 
specifications.  The product must comply with the composition 
standards required by the INV for similar locally manufactured 
products. 
 
-------------------------- 
Prohibited Product Imports 
-------------------------- 
 
¶13.  (U) The GOA has prohibited the import of the following 
products: 
 
- Used automobiles (with some exceptions, Decree 110/1999); 
Used motorcycles and velocipedes (Resolution 790/1992, Ministry of 
Economy); 
 
- Used equipment and its parts, as indicated by Decree 690/2002, 
Appendix XIV and its modifications (Resolution 89/2003 ME, article 
70); 
 
 
- Used clothing and accessories (MERCOSUR Tariff Codes 6309.00.10 & 
6309.00.90) until June 30, 2010. (Resolution ME 367/2005); 
 
- All types of dangerous residues (Law 24051); 
Certain dangerous substances (Resolutions 750/2000, 845/2000, 
182/1999, etc.); 
 
- Telephone terminals that operate in a band between 1880 Mghz-1900 
Mghz (Resolution SC 1994/1999); 
 
- Toys considered dangerous for children. This is a temporary 
measure valid for twenty-four months starting September 22, 2005 
(Resolution MSA 243/2006); 
 
- Used and recapped tires (MERCOSUR Tariff Codes 4012.10.00 & 
4012.20.00, Law 25,626 8/8/2003); 
 
- Used equipment, instruments, parts and transportation material 
(Resolution MEOSP 909/94, article 40, and modifications). Resolution 
MP 37/2003 exempted donations of used goods over 5 years old made to 
governmental institutions and registered religious entities; 
 
- Raw cotton (not carded or combed, harsh or rough) as per Res. 
SENASA 208/03 
 
WAYNE