MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU files document on ‘Argentine protectionism’ to WTO Council for Trade

Argentine Industry minister Deborah Giorgi insists on denying EU claims

European Commission officials confirmed Monday that a document on “Argentina’s protectionism” was filed to the World Trade Organization within the framework of the growing concern among several European countries about Buenos Aires position which is also seen as an obstacle for the renewed trade and cooperation talks between the EU and Mercosur.

The European Commission posted the issue during the WTO Council for Trade in Goods held in Geneva, Switzerland, in order to “obtain a response form Argentina” several sources stated pointing out that this won't be a “formal demand” but a way of strengthening the matter. The Commission took advantage of the event, in which its 153 member states were taking part, to make its stance public.

The Argentine Government has repeatedly denied having implemented banning measures to imports coming from Europe. An Argentine delegate assured: “Our authorities record no halt to European vessels. Certain isolated cases had already been solved, but there are no implemented limitations on imports coming from Europe”.

Mercosur and the European Union last week resumed in Buenos Aires talks on trade and cooperation which had been stalled for years. However in spite of the public statements over the alleged “Argentine protectionism”, both sides admitted that discussions were back on track and a second round of talks has been scheduled for September in Brussels.

Nevertheless the Argentine delegate in Geneva said that ”to include this topic in the Council's agenda was out of place, and seems to be revealing political underlying reasons of a much more complex to-be-debated-issue.“

The Council for Trade in Goods' meetings are secret and private, but some delegates have already confirmed that the European Union ”concern“ over Argentine imports-limitations are backed by several countries such as Canada, Colombia, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Norway and the United States. However, according to a source, the final decision will rely on the stance that France, Greece and Italy decide to show.

Last week, after the European Commission spokesperson John Clancy formally addressed Argentine authorities and requested Buenos Aires to ”stop blocking European import immediately,“ Argentine Industry Minister Débora Giorgi tackled the so-talked-about controversy and gave the official stance: the government is not blocking the entry of European food stuffs imports.

Even though there are no written documents specifying the ban, the spot light is on Argentina’s Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno, a very close associate of the Kirchners who is known for his “thug and bullying methods” in convincing businessmen regarding prices and supply of goods.

After the statements were released, Giorgi said: ”We have not recorded any delay in any product coming from Europe“. She went deeper in the matter and stressed: ”We and the European Commission are willing to negotiate on this topic.“

The European authorities are by this means making a move towards formally addressing Argentina within the framework of the case that implies a halt in imports coming from European countries. ”We are highly concerned about this situation, for this is having a negative impact of some European Union food stuffs exports,“ Clancy highlighted.

Last Friday and within the framework of the first Mercosur-European Union meeting, Mercosur representative Alfredo Chiaradía assured ”Argentina is not implementing any banning measure“ and qualified the European Commission's addressing of the issue as ”an overreaction”.