Business Corruption

According to Argentina Country Report 2010 by Credit-to-Cash Advisor, customs administration has been rife with corruption. Some observers suggest that this situation is changing, but companies should note that others still consider the customs officials at border crossings to be coimeros, i.e. officials who receive bribes.

Business surveys by the World Bank & IFC Enterprise Surveys 2006 report ambiguous figures concerning the ease of clearing exports through customs. However, it is reported that a small proportion of companies give gifts in return for obtaining import licences.

Political Corruption

Global Integrity 2010 reports that customs laws are not enforced equally and without discrimination and the General Audit Office has detected that Customs has several deficiencies in control, which sometimes is related to poor infrastructure.

According to a March 2010 news article by Momento24, the Ezeiza Customs chief, Carlos Mechetti, along with 11 others were arrested for letting illegal merchandise into the Ezeiza airport in return for bribes. According to Clarin, however, Mechetti was released after having paid a high bail.

According to a May 2010 news article by Merco Press, the opposition deputy Elisa Carrió claimed that to be able to export goods to Venezuela, local businessmen had to pay bribes equivalent to 25% of their exports’ value. Elisa Carrió further stated that out of that amount, 15% went to Caracas and 10% went directly to Kirchner’s administration in Argentina.

Frequency

The World Bank & IFC: Doing Business 2011:
- A standard export shipment of goods requires 9 documents and takes 13 days at an average cost of USD 1,480 per container.

- A standard import shipment of goods requires 7 documents and takes 16 days at an average cost of USD 1,810 per container.

World Economic Forum: The Global Competitiveness Report 2010-2011:
- Business executives give the efficiency of customs procedures (formalities regulating the entry and exit of merchandise) in Argentina a score of 2.7 on a 7-point scale (1 being 'extremely inefficient' and 7 'extremely efficient').

Transparency International: Global Corruption Barometer 2010:

-5.5% of households who had contact with the customs services throughout 2009 report to have paid a bribe.

Transparency International: Bribe Payers Index 2008:
- Business executives give the customs a score of 3.6 on a 5-point scale (1 being 'not at all corrupt' and 5 'extremely corrupt').

The World Bank & IFC: Enterprise Surveys 2006:
- It takes an average of 5.5 days to clear direct exports through customs.

- It takes an average of 8 days to clear imports from customs.

- Very few (0.6%) companies report that they expect to give gifts in order to obtain an import licence.