Washington, Feb. 6 — U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Pablo Quirno signed the U.S.-Argentina Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and Investment, officials announced.
The agreement, which builds on a framework accord reached on November 13, covers medicines, motor vehicles, machinery and agricultural goods. USTR said the deal deepens the economic partnership, reduces bureaucratic barriers for American farmers and ranchers, and secures substantial market access for U.S. agricultural and industrial exports.
Designed to cut or eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, the pact aims to ease trade in goods and services, modernize customs procedures and promote investment in strategic sectors such as energy, critical minerals, infrastructure and technology, Argentina’s Office of the President said.
Under the terms, Argentina agreed to accept U.S. safety and regulatory standards for certain imported products, including automobiles and medical devices, and to recognize U.S. Department of Agriculture food safety rules for meat and poultry. The USTR also noted the agreement bars Argentina from imposing customs duties on cross-border data transmissions and includes a commitment not to introduce a digital services tax targeted at U.S. technology companies.
Agriculture provisions require Argentina to open its market to U.S. poultry and poultry products within a year and to simplify regulatory requirements for U.S. beef and pork exporters. The deal also prevents Argentina from restricting U.S. use of some cheese names — including asiago, feta and camembert — which the European Union treats as geographic indications, according to media reports.
(Reporting sourced from syndicated feeds as received; the Tribune assumes no responsibility for accuracy or completeness.)
