FOREWORD To attempt to enter a foreign market without at least a reasonable working knowledge of the laws under which the entrant will be conducting his business may prove to be a costly experience. "Ignorance of the law excuses no man "either as to liabilities unwittingly incurred or profits lost, and while it is not the purpose of this monograph to attempt an exhaustive treatise of the laws of Argentina, it nevertheless will serve as a guide to the exporter who is seeking a practical exposition of those laws with which he will come in daily contact-the laws of commerce. The object of this compilation of laws is only to provide a practical handbook, and it should be borne in mind that to proceed without the advice of competent legal counsel would entail grave risk. The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce at all times has in its files lists of qualified American and foreign lawyers who specialize in this practice. This is but one of the many similar services available to the American public upon request to the Bureau. In Argentina, American goods and services of many varieties find a ready welcome and an expanding market of vast potentialities. Primarily an agricultural and cattle-raising country, it is rapidly developing its local industries in a wide range of manufactured products. The stability and maturity of its institutions and the sound business qualities of its people are attractive to American business, and to the exporter who enters the Argentine market properly prepared to meet intelligently all legal requirements will belong that freedom of action which is so highly prized by business men everywhere. This publication replaces Trade Information Bulletin No. 242 (1924) and Trade Promotion Series No. 74 (1929) issued by the Bureau under the same title; it was prepared under the supervision of Guerra Everett, Chief of the Division of Commercial Laws. All translations of excerpts from codes and laws were made or verified by the reviser, Henry P. Crawford, of the Division of Commercial Laws. The summary of the new Bankruptcy Law was prepared by Mariano H. Ramírez, formerly of the Division of Commercial Laws, and the chapter on Industry Property is the work of James L. Brown, of that Division. MAY 1935. CLAUDIUS T. MURCHISON, Director, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. TRADING UNDER THE LAWS OF ARGENTINA POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL ORGANIZATION The present constitution of the Argentine Republic was adopted at a convention called at Sante Fe in 1853 by the patriot Urquiza. Since its adoption it has undergone few modifications. Under it is established a federal union of Provinces which retain all the powers not delegated by the constitution to the Federal Government. These Provinces, now 14 in number, have their own constitutions and elect their governors, legislators, and other provincial officials without intervention from the Federal Government. The three usual divisions of government prevail: Legislative, executive, and judicial. LEGISLATIVE POWER The legislative power is vested in a Congress “composed of two chambers, one of deputies of the nation and another of Senators of the Provinces and of the capital.1 199 CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES The Chamber of Deputies is composed of representatives who are elected directly by the people of the Provinces and of the capital, which for the purpose are considered as electoral districts of a single State by a plurality of votes. In order to be a deputy it is necessary to have attained the age of 25 years, to have been a citizen 4 years, and a native of the Province in which elected, or have been a resident thereof for the 2 next preceding years. Deputies hold office for 4 years and may be reelected, but one-half of the chamber must be renewed every 2 years. Each deputy has one vote. The Chamber of Deputies alone has the right to impeach before the Senate, the President, the Vice President, the cabinet ministers, and the members of the supreme court and of other inferior tribunals of the nation, in cases involving liability brought against them for malfeasance, for criminal offenses committed in the discharge of their functions, or for common crimes, after having taken cognizance thereof and having declared, by a vote of majority of two-thirds of the members present, that grounds existed for the institution of proceedings. THE SENATE The Senate is composed of two senators from each Province, elected by their legislatures by plurality of votes; and of two from the capital, elected in the form prescribed for the election of the President of the nation. Each senator has one vote. In order to 1 Title I, art. 36, of the Constitution-Composition of Legislative Power. 1 |