Decree 604/2026 enabled commercial shipments abroad and equated the Argentine Post with couriers
Sturzenegger also targeted the Kirchnerist administrations, which governed for 16 years without regulating the mechanism. He explained that previous governments preferred to maintain schemes based on subsidies, directed credits, and discretionary benefits rather than facilitating production and export.
The decree also unified the conditions applicable to shipments made through Correo Argentino and private courier companies, such as DHL or FedEx. From now on, purchases of up to US$400 will be exempt from import duties and the statistical fee, although they will still be subject to VAT. The benefit can be used for up to five shipments per person per year.
Previously, the postal regime allowed twelve annual purchases with a franchise of only US$50, while private couriers had a limit of US$400. This difference created uncertainty for consumers, who often did not know what tax treatment they would receive when purchasing on platforms like Amazon, Temu, or Shein.
Additionally, the postal operator will be authorized to represent the recipient before Customs, unless the person decides to intervene directly. The Government is also preparing a modification so that taxes can be paid at the time of purchase, avoiding delays and procedures when the goods arrive in the country.
The Government of Javier Milei has enabled commercial exports via postal service without a value limit and equated the treatment of imports made through Correo Argentino with the regime applied to private couriers.
The reform was officially enacted through Decree 604/2026, published this Friday in the Official Gazette with the signatures of the President, the Chief of Cabinet, Diego Santilli, and the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo. The change allows Argentine companies to use the official postal service to send commercial goods abroad without a monetary limit
Until now, this modality was contemplated in the Customs Code, but had never been regulated, which prevented SMEs and entrepreneurs from accessing a simplified channel to sell their products in other countries.
The Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, Federico Sturzenegger, criticized that for 45 years no government had resolved this regulatory gap. “Everyone criticizing imports, no one thinking about exports. That’s why we say this is a country that hates exports,” the official stated.
The measure aims to take advantage of existing agreements between the official postal services of different countries, which allow for the distribution of international packages at reduced rates. In this way, small companies that do not have large foreign trade structures will be able to access international markets at a lower operational cost.
