In the face of the public health emergency that the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak represents, Beccar Varela has created a resource center to help you access information related to the topic in one place. Here you will find key contacts to answer questions that affect your business in Argentina, shortcuts to our newsletters with the latest related legal news, and links to external websites of relevant authorities that may be of interest.
Our commitment is to protect the health and safety of our people, while assisting our clients with the highest level of service.
Our team
We have established a work team to coordinate the attention to specific queries about how COVID-19 can affect business continuity, focusing on the resolution of practical consequences that this situation may have on the daily life of people and organizations.
Our communication channels are open. You can direct queries to the team or your usual contacts at Beccar Varela. Likewise, you can write to us at covid-19@beccarvarela.com.
Circulars
03/13/2020 Beccar Varela preparedness for novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
• BANKING & FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
05/01/2020 Communication “A” 7001 (BCRA) | Modifications to the norms that regulate access to the local exchange market (in Spanish only)
04/28/2020 Communication BCRA “A” 6993 – Zero rate credits (in Spanish only)
04/17/2020 Health Emergency | BCRA Communications “A” 6972, 6973, 6976, 6977, 6978, 6979, 6980 and 6982 (in Spanish only)
04/13/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6964 (in Spanish only)
04/07/2020 BCRA Communications “A” 6957 and “A” 6958 (in Spanish only)
04/03/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6951: financial institutions opening on April 4 and 5 (in Spanish only)
04/02/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6950: new provisions on the national payment system (in Spanish only)
04/01/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6949: measures that will govern the financial and payment system operations during the second stage of the mandatory quarantine (in Spanish only)
03/30/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6948: adaptations to the ordered text of Foreign and Changes, and provisions that affect the national payment system (in Spanish only)
03/26/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6945: banking operations during the sanitary emergency (in Spanish only)
03/24/2020 BCRA Communication “A” 6944 and “A” 6945: banking operations during the sanitary emergency (in Spanish only)
03/20/2020 Banking operations during the period of health emergency (in Spanish only)
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• CAPITAL MARKETS
04/07/2020 CNV General Resolution No. 832/20: extension of deadlines for the presentation of Financial Statements | CVN Press release: suspension of deadlines for administrative procedures (in Spanish only)
04/04/2020 National Securities Commission General Resolution No. 830: new regulation on remote board meetings and assemblies (in Spanish only)
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• COMPANY LAW
05/12/2020 IGJ Resolution No. 24/2020: suspension of terms to reply decisions and services of notice before the General Inspection of Justice
05/05/2020 General Inspection of Justice General Resolution No. 21/2020: Savings Companies for Advances in Installment Payments and Closed System Savings Companies – Modality by draw
04/30/2020 General Inspection of Justice General Resolution No. 19/2020 | Extension of terms to reply decisions and services of notice before the General Inspection of Justice
04/30/2020 General Inspection of Justice General Resolution No. 18/2020: Civil (Non-profit) Associations – Extension of the due date on terms from administrative, governing, and auditing bodies
04/13/2020 General Inspection of Justice General Resolutions No. 14/2020 and No. 15/2020
04/02/2020 General Inspection of Justice (IGJ) Resolution No. 13/2020. Suspension of terms to answer decisions and services of notice.
03/27/2020 General Inspection of Justice (IGJ) Resolution No. 11/2020. Modification to Sections 84 and 360 of the IGJ Rules. Management and Governing Bodies Meetings for companies, civil associations, and foundations.
03/19/2020 IGJ General Resolution No. 10/2020. Succession of terms to reply decisions and services of notice before the IGJ
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• COMPETITION & ANTITRUST
04/17/2020 Domestic Trade Secretariat Resolutions No. 113/2020, No. 114/2020 and No. 115/2020 | Extension of deadlines suspension | Prices of certain sanitary items
04/10/2020 National Executive Branch Decree No. 351/2020 | Secretariat of Domestic Commerce Resolution No. 109/2020
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• DATA PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION
05/07/2020 Disposition No. 3/2020 of the Under Secretariat of Open Government and Digital Country – “COVID-19 Ministry of Health” database
05/01/2020 Communication from the Agency for Access to Public Information on “Protection of personal data and geolocation”
04/15/2020 Agency for Access to Public Information Resolution No. 70/2020
03/27/2020 Disposition No. 1771/2020 of the National Migration Office: regulation of the use of the COVID 19-Ministry of Health application for all persons who had entered the country and for those who do so in the future
03/23/2020 Administrative Decision No. 431/2020 of the Head of Cabinet of Ministers. Transfer, assignment, and exchange of personal data by entities of the public sector due to the pandemic by coronavirus (COVID-19)
03/12/2020 Communication from the Agency for Access to Public Information on the “Treatment of Personal Data against Coronavirus” (in Spanish only)
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• DISPUTE RESOLUTION: LITIGATION
05/14/2020 Extraordinary Order of the National Commercial Court of Appeals: enforcement of measures for the provision of a broader justice service within the framework of the flexibility of the quarantine
05/12/2020 Order 14/2020: extension of the extraordinary judicial recess and adoption of measures to provide a broader service of justice
04/27/2020 Extension of the extraordinary judicial recess – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Order No. 13/2020
04/24/2020 Resolution No. 2020-121-APN-MJ | Mediation: remote hearings
04/20/2020 Order No. 393/2020 – Civil Jurisdiction – Modification of the guards’ scheme – Enabling of the natural judge to attend urgencies remotely
04/20/2020 Extraordinary Order of the National Commercial Court of Appeals – Commercial Jurisdiction – Legal framework to enforce the “Procedure for the reception of claims, direct appeals and appeals of complaint remedies before the Chamber”
04/14/2020 Supreme Court’s Orders 11/2020 and 12/2020: electronic signature, virtual agreements and remote filings among Federal and National Courts
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• ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
05/20/2020 OPDS Resolutions No. 207/2020 and No.208/2020: attention to the public – access to nature reserves
05/18/2020 Province of Buenos Aires Sustainable Development Agency Resolutions No. 209/2020 and No.213/2020: preventive measures – solid urban waste
05/14/2020 Province of Buenos Aires Sustainable Development Agency Resolution No. 206/2020: non-hospital isolation sites – Waste management and laundry washing
05/12/2020 Resolution OPDS No. 203/2020. COVID-19 Health Emergency Action Protocol
05/08/2020 Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: operations for the disposal of pathological waste
05/06/2020 Environmental Protection Agency of the city of Buenos Aires Resolution No. 106/2020: extension of the effective term of certificates and of deadlines for filings with APrA – attention to the public
04/30/2020 Province of Buenos Aires Sustainable Development Agency Resolution No. 199/2020: attention to the public – extension
04/28/2020 Hazardous waste – New extension of the Annual Environmental Certificates for carriers and operators of hazardous and pathogenic waste
04/24/2020 Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: National Decree No. 674/89 on liquid effluents – 2019 Annual Sworn Statement – Deadline extension
04/21/2020 Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: hazardous/pathogenic waste – Generation by temporary health facilities – Procedure for authorization of manifests
04/17/2020 Buenos Aires Province Decree No. 251/2020: Pathogenic Waste – Provision of services and ban on price increase | Environmental Protection Agency of the city of Buenos Aires’ Resolution No. 91/2020: Closure of offices to the general public
04/16/2020 Province of Buenos Aires Sustainable Development Agency Resolution No. 190/2020. Attention to the public.
04/08/2020 Environmental Protection Agency of the City of Buenos Aires (APrA): Resolution No. 87/2020
03/30/2020 Resolution No. 60/2020 of the Matanza-Riachuelo Basin Authority: suspension of the administrative terms
03/30/2020 Resolution No. 93/2020 of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development: extension of the annual environmental certificates for carriers and operators of hazardous and pathogenic waste, and a new procedure to obtain transportation manifests during the lockdown period
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• FINTECH
04/15/2020 Argentina Fintech Legal News | #9 SPECIAL EDITION COVID-19
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• HEALTHCARE & LIFE SCIENCES
05/21/2020 Ministry of Health Resolution No. 941/2020: exceptional financial support to Health Insurance Agents
05/13/2020 Ministry of Health Resolution No. 908/2020: ethical and operational guidelines for the accelerated ethical evaluation of research in human beings related to COVID-19
04/03/2020 Resolution No. 281/2020 of the Superintendence of Health Services: implementation and encouragement of the use of teleassistance and/or teleconsultation platforms for Health Insurance Entities
04/03/2020 Resolution No. 281/2020 of the Superintendence of Health Services: measures to assure the provision of medicine for the treatment of chronic diseases to the beneficiary population of Health Insurance Entities
04/01/2020 Resolution No. 132/2020 of the Ministry of Production: the creation of the Support Program for the National Productive System in the Area of Medical Equipment and Medical and Health Supplies and Technological Solutions within the framework of the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)
04/01/2020 Resolution No. 696/2020 of the Ministry of Health of Argentina: modifications in the prescription and dispensation of psychotropic medications or others for the care of chronic and eventually severe pathologies during the sanitary emergency
04/01/2020 Resolution No. 695/2020 of the Ministry of Health of Argentina: previous authorization for the delivery of non-invasive mechanic ventilators
03/31/2020 Ministry of Health Resolution No. 681/2020
03/31/2020 Ministry of Health Resolution No. 680/2020
03/22/2020 Joint Resolution No. 1/2020 of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Production
03/20/2020 Health Emergency – Resolution No. 627/2020 (in Spanish only)
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• INSURANCE & REINSURANCE
04/15/2020 Superintendence of Insurance: suspension of administrative deadlines
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• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – PATENTS & TRADEMARKS
05/12/2020 National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) Resolution No. 42/2020: extension of suspended terms
04/28/2020 National Institute of Industrial Property Resolution No. 37/2020
04/24/2020 Official Notice of the National Institute of Industrial Property | Attention to the public with minimum guards and prior appointment system
04/14/2020 Resolution No. 34/2020 of the National Institute of Industrial Property (“INPI”)
04/03/2020 Administrative Decision No. 450/2020 of the Head of the Cabinet of Ministers: extension of the list of essential activities and services related to foreign trade (in Spanish only)
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• INTERNATIONAL TRADE & CUSTOMS
05/13/2020 AFIP General Resolution No. 4710/2020: export reference values
04/24/2020 Decree No. 405/2020 | COVID-19: new export licenses
04/03/2020 Decree No. 333/2020 of the National Executive Branch: 0% import duty for some hygiene products and medical supplies and exemption from the statistical fee
03/27/2020 Decree No. 313/2020 of the National Executive Branch on the prohibition to enter the country to Argentine residents and nationals residing abroad
03/27/2020 Resolution No. 78/2020 of the Ministry of Transport: transit permit for essential activities
03/23/2020 Official Notice on Operations of Cargo Transportation
03/23/2020 Unavoidable activities of foreign commerce | Priority and discretional operations for customs’ service
03/20/2020 Decree N°297/2020 – Summary of the exceptions that affect Foreign Trade from a Customs Law point of view (in Spanish only)
03/20/2020 New Export License
03/19/2020 New exemption to the Non-Automatic Import Licensing regime
03/17/2020 Prohibition to enter the country (Argentina)
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• LABOR & SOCIAL SECURITY LAW
05/15/2020 Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security – Undersecretary for Labor Inspection Provision No. 05/2020: registry of agreements concluded within section 223 bis of the Employment Contract Law framework
05/15/2020 Administrative Decision No. 747/20 issued by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers – Emergency Assistance to Work and Production Program – Committee of Evaluation and Monitoring recommendations
05/15/2020 Administrative Decision No. 765/20 issued by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
05/15/2020 Disposition No. 290/2020 of the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security
04/23/2020 Administrative Decision No. 591/2020 issued by the Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
04/21/2020 Necessity and Urgency Decree No. 376/2020
04/13/2020 Regulatory alert: AFIP General Resolution No. 4693/2020
04/07/2020 National Executive Branch Decree No. 347/2020
04/07/2020 Resolution No. 135/2020 Protocol of Hygiene and Security in the Sanitary Emergency of the COVID-19
04/02/2020 Necessity and Urgency Decree No. 332/2020 of the National Executive Branch: Program of Emergency Assistance to Labor and Production
04/01/2020 Resolution No. 279/2020 of the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security: revocation of Resolution No. 219/2020 and new regulatory rules in the framework of the Necessity and Urgency Decree No. 297/2020
04/01/2020 Decree No. 329/2020 of the National Executive Branch: prohibition of dismissals without cause and dismissals and suspensions due to lack of work or lowering of work and force majeure
03/20/2020 Resolution No. 219/2020 of the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security
03/18/2020 National Direction of Migration Resolution No. 1644/2020
03/10/2020 Regulatory alert: Exceptional leave
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• MINING
05/16/2020 Argentina’s mining potential after coronavirus
05/14/2020 Ministry of Production – Mining Secretariat: Resolution No. 23/2020
04/28/2020 Mining Secretariat Resolution No. 15/2020 – Authorization of remote filings, of the Electronic Document Management System regarding the tax breaks provided by the Mining Investment Law on the import of equipment and supplies for mining
04/27/2020 Ministry of Productive Development, Mining Agency | Note No. 27747563 to the Argentine Chamber of Mining Companies – Interpretation of Administrative Decision No. 450/2020 – Mining exploration and prospecting exempted from preventive and compulsory social isolation
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• POWER
04/07/2020 Administrative Decision No. 468/2020 | Expansion of the list of essential activities and services in the emergency: private energy infrastructure works
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• PUBLIC LAW
05/21/2020 National Head of Staff of Cabinet of Ministers − Administrative Decision No. 812/2020
05/12/2020 Federal Decree No. 458/2020: extension in administrative terms suspension
05/11/2020 Decree No. 459/2020: extension of mandatory and preventive social insulation − Provincial authorizations for new exceptions
04/27/2020 Federal Decree No. 410/2020 – Extension in administrative terms suspension
04/27/2020 Decree No. 408/2020 – Extension of mandatory and preventive social insulation – Provincial authorizations for new exceptions
04/20/2020 Administrative Decision No. 524/2020: new services and activities to be considered essential during the emergency within certain jurisdictions
04/14/2020 Administrative Decision No. 490/2020: new services and activities to be considered essential during the emergency
04/14/2020 Federal Decree No. 372/2020: extension of administrative terms
04/08/2020 Administrative Decision No. 467/2020: The mandatory social isolation policy – Exception for certain notary public acts
04/04/2020 Administrative Decision No. 450/2020 of the Federal Chief of Ministers: new services and activities to be considered essential during the emergency
04/01/2020 Administrative Decision No. 446/2020 of the Federal Chief of Ministers: Unique Certificate for Circulation – Emergency COVID-19
04/01/2020 Federal Decree No. 327/2020 and Buenos Aires Province Decree No. 167/2020: extension in administrative terms suspension
03/31/2020 Ministry of Interior Resolution No. 48/2020 | “Single Certificate for Mobility – COVID-19 Emergency”
03/25/2020 Necessary and Urgent Decree N° 311/2020: Prohibition of suspension or cancellation of services based on lack or delay on payment.
03/24/2020 Administrative Decision 432/2020 of the Head of Cabinet of Ministers | Implementation of the use of the COVID 19- Ministry of Health application for anyone who has entered the country in the last 14 days and for those who do so in the future
03/22/2020 Direct Public Procurement: Decrees No. 260/2020 and No. 287/2020 | Administrative Terms Suspension: Decree No. 298/2020.
03/20/2020 Mandatory, social, preventive isolation policy. National Decree No. 297/2020
03/19/2020 Resolution No. 131/2020 of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Nation (in Spanish only)
03/13/2020 Decree No. 260/2020 of the National Executive Branch – Health Emergency – Coronavirus (COVID-19) (in Spanish only)
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• REAL ESTATE & HOSPITALITY
03/30/2020 Decrees No. 319/20 and No. 320/20 on mortgages and rentals (in Spanish only)
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• TAX LAW
05/21/2020 AFIP General Resolution No. 4721/2020 and AGIP Resolution No. 189/2020
05/18/2020 AFIP General Resolution No. 4718/2020: new installment payment plan
05/14/2020 AFIP General Resolution No. 4714/2020: Income Tax and Value-Added Tax (VAT) deadlines extension – Installment Payment Plan for legal entities and other measures with tax impact
05/12/2020 AFIP General Resolution No. 4713/2020 (Tax recess) and other measures with tax impact
05/05/2020 Resolution No. 15/2020 (Multilateral Agreement Authority): Extension of the deadline for the filing of the annual turnover tax return (CM 05) | Resolution No. 26/2020 (Tax Authority of the Province of Buenos Aires): Extension of deadline to pay the third FY 2020 advanced payment of the Turnover Tax
05/01/2020 AFIP General Resolutions No. 4705/2020 and No. 4706/2020 – Extension of the suspension of precautionary measures against MiPyMEs – Requirements stated by the Federal Tax Authority to apply the 18% rate regarding social security contributions, as regulated by Section 19(b) of Law No. 27,541
04/28/2020 Measures with tax impact | AFIP Resolution No. 4703/2020 – Tax Recess and others
04/17/2020 Measures with tax impact | General Resolution No. 4699/2020 (Federal Tax Authority) – Temporary exemption from registration of biometric data and others
04/15/2020 Measures with tax impact: AFIP General Resolution No. 4697/2020 and others
04/13/2020 COVID-19: measures with tax impact
04/02/2020 New measures with tax impact
04/01/2020 New measures with tax impact
03/30/2020 New measures with tax impact
03/27/2020 Measures with tax impact
03/25/2020 Measures with tax impact
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• TMT (TELECOMS, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY)
05/16/2020 COVID-19 Electronic agreements (video)
05/11/2020 Resolution No. 442/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (ENACOM) – Extensions
05/08/2020 Resolution No. 455/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (ENACOM)
05/05/2020 National Telecom Regulatory Authority (ENACOM) Resolution No. 367/2020
04/24/2020 Resolution No. 361/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority | Special Service Code “120” for calls linked to COVID-19
04/07/2020 Resolution No. 328/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (“ENACOM”)
04/03/2020 Resolution No. 326/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority: deadline suspensions and extension of expiration dates
03/27/2020 TMT (Telecoms, Media & Technology) Department Report | Resolution No. 303/2020 of the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (“ENACOM”): new measures for telecommunications companies and licensees of ICT services.
03/27/2020 National Communications Agency Resolution No. 304/2020: regulations on postal and package delivery services during the mandatory isolation measure
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• WHITE COLLAR & CORPORATE CRIME
03/30/2020 Criminal regulations related to the declared health emergency situation due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) (in Spanish only)
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External resources
Actualización del protocolo del nuevo coronavirus (COVID-19) del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación:
http://www.msal.gob.ar/images/stories/bes/graficos/0000001801cnt-coronavirus_actualizacion-protocolo.pdf (in Spanish only)
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Plan Operativo de preparación y respuesta al COVID-19 Argentina del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación:
http://www.msal.gob.ar/images/stories/bes/graficos/0000001823cnt-plan_de_preparacion_y_respuesta_al_covid-19.pdf (in Spanish)
Recomendaciones para la prevención de infecciones respiratorias en empresas y organismos con atención al público del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación:
http://www.msal.gob.ar/images/stories/bes/graficos/0000001796cnt-recomendaciones-prevencion-infec-respiratorias-empresas.pdf (in Spanish)
World Health Organization website on coronavirus:
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Sitio sobre coronavirus del Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires:
https://www.buenosaires.gob.ar/coronavirus (in Spanish)
WSG Global COVID-19 Task Force and Resource Center
https://www.worldservicesgroup.com/coronavirus-covid19-global-legal-news
