Importing Steel from China to Argentina: 12% Duty, IVA 21% & Import Declarations (2026)
Verified 2026-10-30 against official Argentine and WTO sources. Argentina applies the MERCOSUR Common External Tariff: steel typically pays ~12% import duty (CIF basis), a 3% statistics fee, 21% IVA and a 3% IVA advance — a heavy stack of roughly 38% before costs. There is no China FTA (a Mercosur–China deal is under study). Anti-dumping on Chinese steel tubes for the oil & gas industry has applied since 2018 and was extended; the country simultaneously removed export taxes on steel in October 2025 for exports to heavily-tariffed markets — a signal of Buenos Aires' open-trade drift.
Import duty on steel
| HS heading | Product group | Import duty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7208 / 7209 | Hot- & cold-rolled flat (HRC, CRC, plate) | ~12% CET + 3% stats fee | Some lines carry above-CET Argentine rates (up to 35% historically); confirm the exact 12-digit NCM line. |
| 7210 / 7212 | Coated flat (galvanised, prepainted) | ~12% CET + 3% stats fee | — |
| 7225 | Alloy flat: wear plate, high-strength plate | ~12% CET + 3% stats fee | No AD on alloy plate — the 26% measure targets oil & gas tubes only. |
| 7304 / 7306 (OCTG) | Steel tubes for oil & gas (API 5L, OD ≤406.4 mm) | ~12% CET + AD 26% | Anti-dumping (Res. 21/15, extended 2021) applies as a minimum FOB price mechanism: duty = difference between the floor and declared FOB. |
| 7213 / 7214 | Rebar, wire rod, bars | ~12% CET + 3% stats fee | — |
| 7301 | Sections, beams | ~12% CET + 3% stats fee | — |
Anti-dumping & trade-remedy measures in force
Argentina's steel trade defence is narrower than its tariff stack suggests:
- Oil & gas steel tubes from China (welded or seamless, OD ≤406.4 mm, wall ≤12.7 mm, API 5L/ISO 3183 or similar, excl. stainless; Mercosur codes 7304.19.00 and 7306.19.00) — anti-dumping of 26% on FOB, set in 2018 and maintained by the 2021 expiry review for a further five years. It operates as a minimum-price mechanism: the duty equals the gap between the established floor values and the declared FOB price.
- No AD on flat products — HRC, CRC, coated and alloy plate (including wear plate) carry no Argentine anti-dumping today.
Direction of travel: in October 2025 Argentina temporarily lifted export taxes on steel and aluminium shipped to countries imposing ≥45% tariffs, and terminated the aluminium-sheet AD on China in February 2026 — both point to a more open posture even as the CET stack keeps import costs high.
How the duties stack up — landed-cost cascade
Worked example — US$700/t wear plate to Buenos Aires: CET ~12% = US$84 → statistics fee 3% of CIF = US$21 → IVA 21% on US$805 = US$169.05 → IVA advance 3% of CIF = US$21 (recoverable) → cash stack ≈ US$295/t (~42% of CIF), of which the IVA advance is recoverable. Argentine landed cost is financing-heavy: letters of credit, local agent fees and the SEI declaration cycle (7–15 days) dominate the timeline more than the duties themselves.
Documents & certificates you need
- SEI electronic import declaration (ex-DJAI) — filed in Argentina's import system before shipment; approval takes 7–15 days and gates the order.
- CUIT tax ID of the Argentine importer and a customs broker (despachante) — legally required representation.
- Commercial documents: invoice, packing list, BL, certificate of origin, MTC per heat.
- Wood packaging ISPM 15.
Official sources for this page
- ARCA — Argentine customs (ex-AFIP) — tariffs, SEI & import procedures
- Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina — official publication of duty & AD orders
- MERCOSUR — Common External Tariff — CET schedules & decisions
- WTO Tariff Download Facility — applied MFN rates
Every figure above was re-checked against these portals on 2026-10-30. Argentine rates include above-CET lines — confirm the exact NCM line and the SEI approval window before contracting.
Change log — what moved, and when
| Date | Change (source: Boletín Oficial / ARCA / Mercosur) |
|---|---|
| 2025-10-08 | Temporary removal of export taxes on steel and aluminium exports to countries applying ≥45% tariffs (measure ran to end-2025). |
| 2021-07 | Expiry review maintained the 26% anti-dumping on Chinese oil & gas steel tubes (Res. 21/15 regime) for a further five years. |
| 2018-06 | Argentina imposed 26% anti-dumping on Chinese steel tubes for the petroleum industry (FOB basis, minimum-price mechanism), valid five years. |
Argentina steel import FAQ
Is there any FTA discount for Chinese steel in Argentina?
No. Mercosur has no agreement with China; the CET and Argentine domestic taxes apply in full. A Mercosur–China FTA is under study — if concluded it would be the single biggest change to this page, and we will update it the day it is signed.
Does the 26% tube anti-dumping affect plate or structural steel?
No. It is strictly scoped to oil & gas line pipe (API 5L-type tubes, specific dimensions). Flat 7225 products, sections and general welded tubes are outside the measure.
What is the SEI and how long does it take?
The SEI (Sistema Estadístico de Importaciones, successor to the DJAI) is Argentina's advance import declaration. Filed by your importer with the PI, it typically clears in 7–15 days. Orders are only production-safe after SEI approval — build it into the contract timeline.
How current is this page?
Verified 2026-10-30. Watch two items: the possible Mercosur–China FTA track, and the 2026 expiry window of the tube AD (2018 order + 2021 five-year extension).
Sources & verification
- 1ARCA — Argentine customs (ex-AFIP)
- 2Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina
- 3MERCOSUR — Common External Tariff
- 4WTO Tariff Download Facility
Figures on this page were verified on 2026-10-30 against the official sources below. Data is reviewed and re-verified monthly; dates of each review are shown on this page.
