The norm, in detail
Goodbye CIBU: used-machinery imports freed up
Decree 273/2025
in forceNATIONAL
Trade opening
What changed and who it applies to
What changed
It eliminates the Used-Goods Import Certificate (CIBU), a prior-approval procedure, for importing used capital goods of Chapters 84 to 90 of the NCM (machines, mechanical and electrical equipment, instruments). It is replaced by an importer's Sworn Statement in the Malvina Computer System (SIM) certifying that the goods are not waste under Law 24.051 nor intended for energy recovery or final disposal (art. 5). Those goods pay an Extra-Zone Import Duty increased by 100%, capped so it never exceeds 35% (art. 1). The detail of the affected tariff positions and sector prohibitions appears in Annex II of the decree (not read in full in the source; specialized press mentions oil & gas, industrial cutters, automotive tooling molds and graphic machinery). verif · Apr 16, 2025 ↗
In force
In force since 04/17/2025 (art. 14: it takes effect the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, which was 04/16/2025). verif · Apr 17, 2025 ↗
Who it affects
Importers of used capital goods of Chapters 84 to 90 of the NCM: metalworking industry, oil & gas, mining, printing, automotive tooling and, in general, SMEs and companies that re-equip with imported used machinery. It reduces immobilized working capital by eliminating prior approval. verif · Apr 16, 2025 ↗
The norm
Decreto 273/2025 (DECTO-2025-273-APN-PTE) from the national Executive, signed on Apr 15, 2025 by Javier Milei, Guillermo Francos (Cabinet Chief) and Luis Andrés Caputo (Minister of Economy); published in the Boletín Oficial on Apr 16, 2025. verif · Apr 15, 2025 ↗
Our reading
Another prior-permit window falls: importing used machinery stops going through a prior-approval certificate and is resolved with a sworn statement in the SIM. It is pure deregulation (R4 · opening and deregulation): less discretion, less immobilized capital and cheaper re-equipping for the industry that plugs into oil & gas, mining and metalworking. thesis
Where it lands, province by province1
Neuquén Vaca Muerta and its service chain (oil & gas, equipment metalworking) can import used machinery and heavy equipment without the prior certificate → lower re-equipping cost and less immobilized working capital for SME suppliers → expected favorable impact on investment in satellite-service capacity. (The specific lifting of oil & gas prohibitions rests on Annex II, not read in full; see rigor note.) favorable opening and deregulation thesis
The other rules on this subject14
Importing without a prior permit: from the SIRA to the informational SEDIRes. 1/2023 Trade Secretariat + Joint GR AFIP-Trade 5466/2023 (Official Gazette Dec 26, 2023)in force
Mercosur–EU ratified: 450 million consumers open up to agriculture and industryLaw 27,800 (Official Gazette Feb 26, 2026); provisional application from May 1, 2026in force
Argentina and the US sign their first trade and investment agreementBilateral agreement signed Feb 5, 2026 (no number; submitted to Congress)pending
Industrial export taxes to zero: chemicals, metals and autos export duty-freeDecree 566/2026 (Official Gazette Jul 1, 2026)in force
The RAF stops being an automotive privilege: tax-suspended inputs for all of industryDNU 252/2026 (Official Gazette Apr 17, 2026)in force
Ignacio Aredez· Chief analyst
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How to read the seals → verif primary source · prob primary source pending · unconf not sufficiently backed · estim our own calculation · thesis our reading