MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU Calls on Argentina Not to Restrict Food Imports

Argentine Industry and Tourism Minister, Débora Giorgi

The European Union asked Argentina not to restrict food imports, which was reported by manufacturers and producers. Manufacturing sources said that restrictions began being applied in the last few days on products that are also elaborated locally, in a non-written measure that primarily affects the EU and Brazil.

“Said restrictions, if carried out, would be incompatible with regulations of the World Trade Organization and with the commitment acquired by Argentina in the G20 framework,” said the local EU delegation in a communiqué. “The European Union is therefore calling on Argentine authorities not to implement the announced measures,” it added.

The Argentine food and beverage sectors export 12 billion USD per year in processed products, and imports 900 million, according to the coordinator of the food products industry. “Everything the market demands in matters of imported foods will be available in supermarket aisles of our country,” said the Argentine Industry and Tourism Minister, Débora Giorgi, in a rally which took place in Córdoba province.

“Argentina works under the norms of the World Trade Organization and we will continue to do so in this fashion, not only regarding the non-automatic licensing application, but also in relation to anti-dumping measures, and we will not allow disloyal competition linked to products to enter our country with social, financial, and/or environmental dumping,” she affirmed.

A spokesman for Argentina’s National Drugs, Foods, and Medical Technology Administration (ANMAT) said that the organism should daily remit a list of products that require authorization in order to be imported, and the Secretary of Commerce should approve them.

Regarding negotiations with China over the ban on Argentine oil import, Ms. Giorgi said that meetings will be held on May 31 and June 1. Representatives from the Chinese government are scheduled to meet with Alfredo Charadía, secretary of the Foreign Ministry's international commercial and economic relations sector.