Food imports: the Government eliminates procedures for products with international certification

The measure was made official through the Decree 697/2026, published in the Official Gazette this Monday and signed by the president Javier Milei, the Chief of Staff, Diego Santilli, the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, and the Minister of Health, Mario Lugones.

One of the central changes is that the “food products, additives, technology adjuvants, ingredients and packaging” that have certification issued by the countries included in the official list recognized by Argentina, or by States that apply the standards of the Codex Alimentarius (FAO/WHO), will have a simpler regime for your income to the country.

According to the decree, these products “remain exempted from the obligation to be incorporated into the Argentine Food Code (CAA)“and are also exempt from different prior administrative procedures.

In these cases, importers must file an affidavit and the corresponding marketing authorization, free sale certificate or equivalent document issued by the competent authority of the country of origin.

The standard also establishes that, for the products covered by this scheme, the national health authority “may not require additional requirements.”

In the foundations of the measure, the Government maintained that the current regime generated “an asymmetry “which allows the entry of finished products that contain such inputs and prevents the national industry from using them in the production of equivalent products.”

According to the official text, it is appropriate to extend to those inputs “identical treatment” as the finished products with the objective of “eliminating a regulatory burden that operates to the detriment of national production.”

The decree also points out that the dynamics of national and international trade require “making the protection of public health compatible with more agile, predictable and efficient regulatory procedures” and promoting mechanisms that “facilitate the import, export and marketing of food, reduce unnecessary regulatory costs and favor the incorporation of new products and technologies.”

Among the arguments used to justify the reform, the Government also maintained that it is necessary “eliminate requirements and procedures that imply duplication of controls” with respect to products, ingredients, additives and materials that already have evaluations or certifications issued by competent authorities of recognized countries.

In addition to the changes for imports, the standard reorganizes the National Food Control System andstrengthens the role of the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (SENASA). This organization will concentrate functions linked to the control, inspection, registration and supervision of products food, establishments and imports, replacing powers that until now were distributed among different organizations.

The decree establishes that SENASA will be in charge of executing the national food policy and ensuring compliance with the Argentine Food Code.

For his part, the Ministry of Health, through the Ministry of Health Management, will retain the functions related to health stewardship, the updating of the Argentine Food Code, the incorporation of new foods, additives and food technologies and the establishment of health criteria.

The reform also introduces deadlines for different administrative procedures. Among them, it provides that the health authorities must be issued on authorization requests within a period of 30 days. Once this period has expired, the applicant may use the procedure or registration number and market the product while the administrative procedure continues.

Another change incorporated by the decree is that the food handling cards They will be valid throughout the national territory and “will not expire once granted.”

Likewise, it creates a Single Database administered by SENASA to concentrate information on establishments, products, laboratories, inspections, infractions, sanctions and authorizations within the national food control system.

Finally, in terms of imports, the rule also provides that Hygienic-sanitary and food-related controls will be carried out after entering the plaza., unless there are signs of deterioration, documentary inconsistencies or proven risks to human, animal or plant health.

All modifications came into effect upon publication of the decree in the Official Gazette.