'Argentina will continue to decide on its own trade policies'

The Government ratified its trade policies before the World Trade Organization, following the US and EU criticisms of Argentine trade restrictions and assured it will continue to decide on its trade policies in a sovereign manner.

According to a communiqué released by the Foreign Ministry, in Friday’s WTO Goods council meeting, “some of the aspects of Argentina’s foreign trade were discussed.”

“It is remarkable that the initiative was brought forward by countries that have increased their exports to Argentina by 25 percent, thus raising their export average to the rest of the world and in a year in which Argentina was the country that increased the most its imports of G20 member products, as a way of contributing to the economic recovery of countries in economic crisis.”

The communiqué also highlighted the fact that “none of the countries that participated in the goods committee meeting was able to mention a circumstance in which Argentina had violated the WTO’s regulations and that complaints are based upon vague information printed in local newspapers is notorious.”

Also, according to the Foreign Ministry, the press release of the complaining countries states that “we are not aware of any official regulation that determines this trade balance or investment requirement. However, Argentine Government officials have been quoted in local media saying that the purpose is to improve the trade balance by means of imports and the promotion of exports.”

“Argentina is alarmed with the insistence of countries that keep on creating artificial barriers to make it harder for developing countries’ agroindustrial products to enter, and as they politically pressure these countries to receive the products that their own domestic markets cannot absorb due to the economic crisis they are undergoing since 2008. These are the real obstacles in creating a more balanced economic system.”

“Argentina will keep on exercising the sovereign decision of its trade policies which have driven the most important economic growth in our history. We will comply with the WTO’s regulations but we will not accept no kind of external interference.”