Uruguay Sets New Import Regulations for Goods

Uruguay has released a comprehensive set of regulations regarding the importation of goods, specifying which items are banned outright and which require special licensing. The US government's International Trade Administration indicates that Uruguay has strict prohibitions on certain imports, including food articles and pet food, which may be restricted based on their ingredients or origin.

A separate category of goods necessitates non-automatic import licensing, affecting items such as motor vehicles, sugar, acetic acid, textiles, footwear, and structural steel. Import licenses are typically valid for 60 days, with motor vehicle imports allowed a 90-day validity period.

Over the decades, Uruguay has progressively liberalized its trade environment, eliminating import quotas in the mid-1970s, reducing non-tariff barriers in the 1990s, and phasing out minimum export prices by 2002.