As of July, a new fiscal control scheme will enter into force in Argentina with the potential to radically change a deep -rooted custom: purchases in Chili. The Customs Collection and Control Agency (ARCA) will apply new standards on the use of cards abroad that will put each operation carried out on the other side of the mountain range.
The measure will force banks to report in greater detail each international expense, identifying the country, the type of commerce, the exact amount and other sensitive data such as the code of trade category (MCC). This means that it will not only know how much it was spent, but on what, where and how. For many, this decision marks a before and after on shopping trips to Chili.
End of “consumer tourism” as we knew it
For years, cross Chili It was a tempting alternative for Argentines who were looking for more accessible prices in products such as clothing, technology or cosmetics. With a favorable exchange difference and a tempting offer, the neighboring country worked as a kind of “extended shopping.” But Arca’s initiative aims to stop that trend, under the argument of improving inspection and avoiding unst declared commercial deviations.
The necessary updates to comply with the regulations are already being implemented from the financial sector. Additional cards will also be subject to control, which prevents evading monitoring simply using a plastic in the name of another person.
Prohibited products and key warnings
In addition to the greatest control over transactions, Arca remembered that there are specific restrictions for certain goods acquired abroad. Those who return to the country with products such as weapons, narcotics, archaeological objects or goods for commercial purposes could face severe sanctions, regardless of whether they have been legally acquired in Chili.
Frequent travelers must be attentive, since even small omissions could be considered infractions. Arca seeks to send a clear message: the limit between shopping tourism and smuggling minor is increasingly narrow.
More control or less freedom?
The measure has already generated debate between economists and defenders of consumer rights. While some argue that it is a necessary policy to combat evasion and protect local industry, others see it as a new obstacle to the freedom to choose where and how to spend their own money. In social networks, claims soon appear for what many consider “a punishment they want to save.”
