Businessmen on alert for the trade agreement with the US after the ruling against Trump’s tariffs

“The bilateral agreement recently signed between Argentina and the United States contains commitments that transcend the tariff issue. The court ruling, in principle, should not have a direct impact on said agreement, we understand that it may warrant some additional adjustment“said the United States Chamber of Commerce in Argentina (AmCham).

The entity recognized that The understanding is pending legislative approval in Argentina and institutional notification before the US Congress. The intention of Javier Milei’s government is to send a project to Congress in the coming weeks to ratify its validity, despite the decision of the United States Supreme Court.

Milei and Trump signed an understanding in early February, which eliminates the Reciprocal tariffs for 1,675 Argentine products in different sectorsalong with the unprecedented expansion to 80,000 tons for preferential access of beef to its market, in exchange for the entry of US products into Argentina.

However, The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Trump does not have the authority to impose unilateral tariffs to almost all of its trading partners under the 1977 emergency law. In response, the White House leader raised tariffs to 15% under section 122, based on another law, but for only 150 days starting this Tuesday.

In this framework, AmCham evaluated that future imports from Argentina may have two treatments. On the one hand, he considered that both the bilateral agreement that reduces reciprocal tariffs from 10% to 0% and the substantial expansion of the beef import quota to the US market “remain in force.”

“Other products exported to the US would have a temporary 10% ad valorem surcharge under Section 122 which is added to the tariffs prior to April 2. This tool is provided for by federal legislation for situations of imbalances in the balance of payments and is transitory in nature (up to 150 days, unless extended by law of Congress), and with effect from February 24, 2026,” the chamber said.

This surcharge, according to AmCham, contemplates multiple exceptions —including energy, certain agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals, aerospace goods and other strategic sectors— which “attenuates its widespread scope and the products covered by section 232” (steel and aluminum).

The United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer said this Sunday that the White House hopes to maintain trade agreements that signed with different countries, including Argentina, despite the Supreme Court ruling that declared a good part of the republican government’s tariffs illegal.

For the Chamber of Exporters of Argentina (CERA), the judicial decision implies a “significant disruption” to President Trump’s trade policy and maintains the scenario of uncertainty for international trade, which is why the United States’ trade measures, agreements with other countries and refunds would have to be monitored.

“This reciprocal tariff is precisely what the US Supreme Court has declared illegal, thus invalidating the only concession in terms of market access that it offered to our country. The agreement did not contain concessions for Argentina in Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs or improvements for the goods reached by the Section 232 tariffs (quota or tariff reduction)”, CERA warned.

Likewise, the chamber recalled that “Argentina had not yet presented the agreement to Congress for approval.” And he warned that with the decision of the US Supreme Court, the text of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and Investment (ARTI) “I would lose legal support”.