Resolution No. 235/2021 of the Federal Mining Secretariat, Ministry of Productive Development: “Federal Mining Counter”.
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Mining Department report | Resolution No. 235/2021 of the Federal Mining Secretariat, Ministry of Productive Development: “Federal Mining Counter”
Dear Sir or Madam,
Resolution No. 235/2021 (the “Resolution”) of the Federal Mining Secretariat (“FMS”), published in the Official Gazette yesterday, creates the “Federal Mining Counter” (“VENFEM”), with the purpose of facilitating communications between provincial mining authorities and the Federal Mining Secretariat.
The Resolution is a result of Decree No. 50/2019, under which it was established that the FMS was entrusted with assisting the Minister of Mining in the designing and implementation of mining policies, regarding the interaction with the provinces, municipalities, and the community as a whole, seeking to optimize the role of mining for the sustainable development of Argentina.
VENFEM is established to conduct all communications between the FMS and the provincial authorities with jurisdiction in mining matters. Communications that will be made through VENFEM are those regarding compliance with the actions developed by the FMS, within the scope of the Federal Mining Plan, the Mining Social Plan, the Mining Support Plan for Small and Medium-Sized Mining Companies, and the special promotion regime provided for in Law No. 24,196.
The VENFEM is an instrument to be used between the provincial authorities and the FMS. For the purpose of using the VENFEM, the Resolution’s Section 2 requests the appropriate authorities of the provinces with jurisdiction in mining matters to designate:
a- one (1) Principal Contact Officer with a rank no lower than Provincial Director or equivalent rank, and
b- one (1) Alternate Contact Officer with a rank no lower than Director or equivalent rank.
The appointment shall be made by means of a note from the appropriate provincial authority with jurisdiction in mining matters and shall be communicated through the respective representative before the Federal Mining Council (“COFEMIN”) to the FMS, within fifteen (15) days from the date the Resolution becomes effective.
Once the Contact Officer has been designated, the communications that are made under the Resolution may be executed.
As of the assignment and authorization of the users corresponding to the designated individuals, all communications sent by the offices of the FMS shall be valid and shall have full legal effect, and it is hereby stated for the record that all communications shall be made under the scope of an Electronic File filed for such end.
The Resolution’s Section 3 instructs all the departments of the FMS that must communicate information, which falls under the scope of the Resolution, to the provincial authorities with jurisdiction in mining matters, to make the necessary arrangements with the “Remote Procedures” Department, in order to obtain the corresponding users of the “Remote Procedures” (TAD) platform.
The Resolution does not replace or substitute any other means of communication and/or institutional representation that already exists or that may exist in the future between the provincial jurisdictions and the FMS and/or COFEMIN.
The Resolution is effective as of 09/08/2021.
Please, do not hesitate to contact us should you require any further information.
Sincerely,
Marcos Moreno Hueyo
Dolores Reyes