Importing Polyethylene to Argentina: The Pre-Shipment Compliance Checklist for 2026

Import Compliance Checklist · Argentina · Polyethylene (PE)

Argentina eliminated SIRA and its successor SEDI outright — but five other pre-shipment checks, from buyer registry status to a tightened 30-day FX payment window, can still leave a polyethylene shipment sitting at the port.

· July 2026 · 8 min read

Polyethylene shipments into Argentina no longer need a SIRA import declaration — that licensing system was eliminated in stages between 2023 and 2025, and no replacement currently exists. But five other checks can still leave your container sitting at port: buyer registry status, reference-pricing risk for LDPE, correct NCM classification, certificate-of-origin triggers, and the buyer’s 30-day window to pay under Argentina’s central bank rules. This guide walks through each pre-shipment check with the specific regulation behind it.

Why the “SIRA” Search Term No Longer Matches Argentina’s Import Rules

Many exporters searching for Argentina import rules still expect to file a SIRA declaration before a polyethylene shipment can clear customs. That assumption is now outdated, and the actual history explains why the confusion persists.

Argentina created SIRA (Sistema de Importaciones de la República Argentina) in October 2022 to replace the older SIMI monitoring system, per Resolución General Conjunta 5271/2022 published in the Boletín Oficial. For about fourteen months, SIRA functioned as an import licensing gate. Then, on December 26, 2023, the government cancelled SIRA’s licensing requirement and introduced SEDI (Sistema Estadístico de Importaciones) — a statistical-only declaration with no licensing function, per Resolución 1/2023 and Resolución 5466/2023.

SEDI itself did not last either. On February 25-26, 2025, Argentina eliminated SEDI entirely through Resolución General Conjunta 5651/2025, voiding every declaration previously registered under it. As of the U.S. Commercial Service’s Argentina Country Commercial Guide, updated August 1, 2025, no pre-import licensing or advance import declaration system is in effect. If your compliance checklist still lists “file a SIRA” as step one, it is describing a system that stopped functioning as a licensing gate in December 2023 and was formally erased in February 2025.

Argentina's Pre-Shipment Declaration System: Created, Replaced, Then Eliminated

1. 1

   Oct 2022 — SIRA Replaces SIMI

   Resolución General Conjunta 5271/2022 creates SIRA as Argentina's import monitoring and licensing system, applying to registrations from October 17, 2022, per the Boletín Oficial.

2. 2

   Dec 2023 — SIRA Licensing Cancelled, SEDI Introduced

   Resolution 1/2023 and Resolución 5466/2023 cancel SIRA's licensing function and replace it with SEDI, a statistical-only declaration that retains private import debt data for 360 days and auto-approves entries after 30 days without action.

3. 3

   Feb 2025 — SEDI Eliminated Entirely

   Resolución General Conjunta 5651/2025 eliminates SEDI outright, effective February 26, 2025. Every declaration previously filed under SEDI is rendered null and void.

4. 4

   Aug 2025 — No System Confirmed Active

   The U.S. Commercial Service's Argentina Country Commercial Guide, updated August 1, 2025, confirms no pre-import licensing or advance declaration system is currently in effect.

Check 1: Is Your Buyer Registered in Argentina’s Importer and Exporter Registry?

With the licensing declaration gone, the first real gate is registry membership. Per the GISTnet Customs Info Database, any company importing into Argentina must be listed in the Registry of Importers and Exporters maintained by the Dirección General de Aduanas (DGA). Registration uses form OM-1228-E, filed together with proof of tax registration — a C.U.I.T. number — with the Dirección General Impositiva.

This is a one-time setup step for a new buyer, not a per-shipment filing, but it must be in place before the first container departs. Ask your Argentine buyer directly whether their registry status is active and current before you confirm the order — a lapsed or never-completed registration will stop the shipment at the same point where a missing SIRA filing once did.

Check 2: Could Your Invoice Price Trigger Argentina’s Reference Pricing Rule?

Argentina maintains a reference, or minimum, import pricing system for a defined list of product categories. Per the GISTnet Customs Info Database, that list explicitly includes low-density polyethylene and certain plastic sheets, film, foil, and strips.

If your declared customs value comes in below the applicable reference price for your PE grade, the importer may be required to post a deposit covering additional taxes before customs releases the goods from its custody. This is not a blanket rule for every plastics shipment — it applies to the specific goods named on the list — so confirm whether your exact product falls under it before you set the commercial invoice price.

LDPE Is Named on Argentina's Reference-Pricing List

LDPE Is Named on Argentina's Reference-Pricing List

Argentine customs applies minimum reference import prices to a defined list of goods that explicitly includes low-density polyethylene and certain plastic sheets, film, foil, and strips, per the GISTnet Customs Info Database. If your declared invoice value is below the applicable reference price, your buyer's broker may need to post a deposit for additional taxes before customs releases the container. Confirm your specific PE grade's status with a licensed Argentine customs broker before finalizing your invoice price.

Check 3: Are You Using the Correct NCM Code for Your PE Grade?

Polyethylene falls under NCM 3901 in Mercosur’s Common Nomenclature, part of Chapter 39 covering plastics and articles thereof. Per the U.S. Commercial Service, ad-valorem duty rates on Chapter 39 goods generally range from 2% to 14%, with the precise rate depending on the specific 8-digit NCM subheading and any applicable List of Exceptions to the Common External Tariff (LETEC).

LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE typically sit under distinct subheadings within NCM 3901, each carrying its own rate. Misclassifying a shipment under the wrong subheading can produce an incorrect duty calculation, which risks delays or reassessment at the port. Confirm the exact subheading and rate for your product with a licensed Argentine customs broker before finalizing shipping documents — a general Chapter 39 range is a starting point, not a substitute for a confirmed code.

Check 4: Do You Need a Certificate of Origin?

A certificate of origin is not a universal requirement for every shipment into Argentina — it applies in specific circumstances. Per the U.S. Commercial Service, Argentine customs requires a certificate of origin, authenticated by an Argentine consulate after Chamber of Commerce endorsement, for goods subject to anti-dumping, countervailing, or safeguard duties, and to claim preferential tariff treatment under Mercosur or ALADI membership. The certificate is valid for six months from its certification date.

For Korea-origin polyethylene specifically, two points matter. First, no evidence confirms a bilateral free trade agreement or Mercosur/ALADI-equivalent preferential arrangement between Argentina and South Korea, so Korean-origin PE cannot claim preferential-tariff treatment on that basis. Second, Argentina’s only Korea-related antidumping history on a polyethylene-family resin concerns PET (polyethylene terephthalate, a separate polymer under NCM 3907) — those duties were terminated on December 6, 2023. No evidence indicates an active anti-dumping measure on HS 3901 polyethylene from Korea. In practice, this means most Korea-to-Argentina PE shipments will clear as standard general cargo without a certificate of origin — but confirm this against your specific NCM subheading with your customs broker, since trade-remedy investigations can open at any time.

Check 5: How Long Does Your Buyer Have to Pay After the Container Arrives?

Argentina’s central bank, the BCRA, controls how quickly importers can access the official foreign exchange market (MULC) to pay overseas suppliers. Per the U.S. Commercial Service, BCRA Comunicación “A” 8118 shortened this window to 30 days from the shipment’s registered arrival date, effective October 21, 2024. That followed an earlier reduction from 120 to 60 days on August 1, 2024 — two tightenings inside three months of each other.

Energy and health-sector imports are exempted with immediate FX access, but standard polyethylene shipments follow the general 30-day rule. Build this payment timeline into your commercial terms discussion with the buyer before shipment, rather than assuming the longer windows that applied before October 2024.

Pre-Shipment Document Checklist

Once the four checks above are confirmed, the remaining requirement is standard shipping paperwork. Per the U.S. Commercial Service, general cargo shipments into Argentina require a commercial invoice (original plus three copies, in Spanish, with authorized signatures), a packing list, a bill of lading or air waybill, and the importer’s C.U.I.T. tax ID number on all freight documents.

Pre-Shipment Document Checklist for PE Shipments to Argentina

• ✓ Buyer registered in the DGA's Importer and Exporter RegistryFiled via form OM-1228-E with proof of C.U.I.T. tax registration at the Dirección General Impositiva
• ✓ Invoice price checked against the reference pricing listLDPE and certain plastic film and sheet products are named — confirm applicability with a customs broker
• ✓ Correct 8-digit NCM 3901 subheading confirmedDuty rates range 2-14% ad valorem across Chapter 39 subheadings and LETEC exceptions
• ✓ Certificate of origin obtained, if applicableRequired only for goods subject to anti-dumping, countervailing, or safeguard duties, or to claim Mercosur/ALADI preferential tariffs
• ✓ Commercial invoice preparedOriginal plus 3 copies, in Spanish, with authorized signatures
• ✓ Packing list and bill of lading or air waybill readyInclude the importer's C.U.I.T. tax ID on all freight documents
• ✓ Buyer's 30-day FX payment window confirmedPer BCRA Comunicación A 8118, counted from the shipment's registered arrival date in Argentina

Last updated: 2026-07. Argentina’s import regulations, reference pricing lists, and central bank rules are subject to change. This guide is for informational purposes only — verify current requirements directly with a licensed Argentine customs broker (despachante de aduana) and consult ARCA (Argentina’s federal customs and tax authority) before shipping.

Argentina’s import rules for polyethylene have shifted twice in three years — first replacing SIMI with SIRA, then replacing SIRA with SEDI, then eliminating SEDI entirely with no direct successor. The regulatory gate that remains is a combination of registry status, reference pricing, correct NCM classification, certificate-of-origin triggers, and a tightened 30-day FX payment window. Working through each check before the container is booked avoids the port delays that outdated SIRA-focused checklists no longer predict correctly.

Regulatory Information Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational and reference purposes only. Argentina’s import declaration requirements, reference pricing lists, NCM tariff classifications, and BCRA foreign exchange rules referenced herein are subject to change without notice. Readers should confirm all registry, classification, and payment requirements with a licensed Argentine customs broker (despachante de aduana), a certified trade advisor, and ARCA (Argentina’s federal customs and tax authority) before placing import orders or making sourcing decisions. Korea Industry Insights accepts no liability for actions taken solely on the basis of information in this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need to file a SIRA declaration before shipping polyethylene to Argentina, or has that requirement been dropped?

It has been dropped. SIRA’s licensing function was cancelled in December 2023 and replaced by the statistical-only SEDI system, which was itself eliminated on February 26, 2025, per Resolución General Conjunta 5651/2025. As of the U.S. Commercial Service’s August 2025 update, Argentina has no active pre-shipment import licensing or declaration system. You do not need to file a SIRA, SEDI, or equivalent declaration before shipping.

What NCM subheading do I use to classify LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE separately for an Argentine customs entry?

All polyethylene grades fall under NCM 3901 within Mercosur’s Chapter 39 tariff schedule, but LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE are classified under different 8-digit subheadings, each carrying its own ad-valorem duty rate within the general 2-14% Chapter 39 range, per the U.S. Commercial Service. The exact 8-digit code and rate for your specific grade should be confirmed with a licensed Argentine customs broker (despachante de aduana) or through AFIP/ARCA’s tariff classification tool.

Could my polyethylene shipment be held at the port if my invoice price is lower than Argentina’s reference import price?

Yes. Per the GISTnet Customs Info Database, Argentina applies a reference/minimum import pricing system to a defined list of goods that explicitly names low-density polyethylene and certain plastic sheets, film, foil, and strips. If your declared customs value falls below the applicable reference price, the importer may be required to post a deposit for additional taxes before the goods are released from customs custody.

How many days after my container arrives in Argentina does my buyer have to pay me under current BCRA foreign exchange rules?

30 days from the shipment’s registered arrival date, per BCRA Comunicación A 8118, effective October 21, 2024. This followed an earlier reduction from 120 to 60 days on August 1, 2024. Energy and health-sector imports are exempted with immediate FX access, but standard polyethylene shipments fall under the 30-day rule.

Do I need a certificate of origin for a Korea-to-Argentina polyethylene shipment even though Korea isn’t a Mercosur member?

Only in specific cases. A certificate of origin, authenticated by an Argentine consulate after Chamber of Commerce endorsement, is required for goods subject to anti-dumping, countervailing, or safeguard duties, or to claim preferential tariff treatment for Mercosur or ALADI member-country origin. No evidence confirms a Korea-Argentina preferential trade arrangement, and no anti-dumping measure currently applies to HS 3901 polyethylene from Korea, so most standard PE shipments will not require one — confirm with your customs broker based on your specific NCM subheading.

More from Korea Industry Insights

• Brazil PE Resin Import Landed Cost: How the Four-Layer Tax Cascade Actually Works (2026)
• Morocco Used Car Import Checklist: Step-by-Step Guide for Korean Sedans