Food import notice for products certified in Annex III countries
The food import notice is a sworn statement that replaces the prior RNE and RNPA when the product has a certificate of free sale from a country in Annex III of Decree 35/2025: Australia, Canada, Switzerland, the European Union, the United States, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom. It covers food for sale, inputs for industrial use (UPEI), samples and packaging. It is now filed with SENASA (formerly INAL) and reaches the customs system (SIM) as LPCOVUCE0028.
- Agency
- SENASA
- Estimated timing
- Up to 5 business days.
- Official fee
- 1,5 % del valor FOB
- Our fee
- Tailored quote
Why it is mandatory
Decree 35/2025 deemed the Food Code satisfied when the product is certified by an Annex III country, and Decree 697/2026 extended that recognition to additives, processing aids and ingredients. In exchange, the importer declares under oath the product, warehouse and label data.
It is not a pass-through formality. The notice is the approval that allows that batch to be sold and remain on the market: SENASA controls after entry and can request documents, take samples or order a recall. If the product comes from another country, the path is food import authorization.
For exporters in those countries, the certificate of free sale issued by your own authority is the key document. Without it, your buyer falls back to the longer registration path.
What the regulation says
«Los importadores que ingresen productos alimenticios y/o envases que cuenten con certificación emitida por alguno de los países individualizados en el ANEXO III del presente acto deberán completar la declaración jurada ordenada para dicha operación (…) Asimismo, deberán adjuntar la “autorización de comercialización” o “certificado de libre venta del producto” o documento análogo aprobado por la Autoridad Sanitaria competente de los países consignados en el ANEXO III del presente acto.»Unofficial translation: “Importers bringing in food products and/or packaging certified by any of the countries listed in ANNEX III of this act must complete the sworn statement required for that operation (…) They must also attach the "marketing authorization" or "certificate of free sale of the product" or an equivalent document approved by the competent Health Authority of the countries listed in ANNEX III of this act.”
«Los funcionarios encargados de vigilar el cumplimiento de las disposiciones del Código Alimentario Argentino, de esta ley y de sus disposiciones reglamentarias, tendrán facultades para proceder al secuestro de elementos probatorios, disponer la intervención de mercaderías en infracción y el nombramiento de depositarios.»Unofficial translation: “Officials in charge of enforcing the Argentine Food Code, this law and its regulations shall have the power to seize evidence, order the detention of goods in violation and appoint custodians.”
Rules that require it
- Dec. 35/2025 (BO 20/01/2025): Adds Annex III to Decree 2126/71: countries whose sanitary certification is recognized for imported food and packaging.
- Dec. 697/2026 (BO 03/08/2026): Concentrates in SENASA the registration, control and oversight of CAA foods and removes INAL from the National Food Control System. Recognizes previous licenses and registrations as valid without re-registration (art. 32).
- Disp. (ANMAT) 537/2025 (BO 30/01/2025): Procedure for import notice and authorization, RNE, RNPA and packaging authorization. Repeals, among others, Disp. 14023/2016, 1307/2017 and 2953/2021.
- RG (ARCA) 5731/2025 (BO 31/07/2025): Brings the food import notice and authorization into VUCEA, validated by the SIM as an LPCO.
- Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026 (BO 07/08/2026): Adds to SENASA's fee schedule (SAGyP Res. 54/2026) the food fees previously charged by ANMAT, with their procedure duration.
Products covered
The notice can be used for:
- Packaged food and beverages with a certificate of free sale from an Annex III country.
- Additives, processing aids and ingredients certified by those countries (Decree 697/2026).
- Raw materials for exclusive use in the importer's plant (UPEI).
- Samples without commercial value.
- Packaging and utensils in contact with food (see food contact materials).
Requirements and documents
Disp. (ANMAT) 537/2025 and Decree 697/2026 require declaring:
- Importer data and the warehouse where the goods will be held.
- Product: name, brand, composition, batch, expiry date, quantity, presentation, country of origin and manufacturer.
- Label information in Spanish, with the importer's name and address and the batch number.
- Purpose: sale, UPEI or sample without commercial value.
- Certificate of free sale or marketing authorization from the Annex III country's authority. This comes from you.
- Invoice, transport document and proof of fee payment.
Official fees and timing
| Concept | Amount | Valid | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Import notice, per product (IC4703 A) | 1,5 % del valor FOB | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
| Import notice, per product (IC4703 B) | 1,25 % del valor FOB | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
| Import notice for food for industrial use by the importing establishment, UPEI (IC4201) | $ 52.500 | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
| Entry authorization for a sample without commercial value (IC4073) | $ 77.400 | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
Under the schedule of Disp. (ANMAT) 2978/2026, adopted by SAGyP Res. 135/2026, 1.5% applies below ARS 50,000,000 and 1.25% to equal or higher amounts. Translation and labeling at destination are not official fees and are quoted separately.
Estimated timing
Up to 5 business days.
Depends on: That is the real-world time. Res. SAGyP 135/2026 sets a 2-business-day duration for the notice. For customs clearance the notice only needs to be filed, even if it has not been approved yet. It depends on the certificate of free sale coming from an Annex III country and matching the product.
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How we handle it remotely
Eligibility check
We confirm the certificate comes from an Annex III authority, not from a transit country or a distributor.
Label
We check that the Spanish label carries the importer's data, the batch and what the Food Code requires.
Sworn statement
We file the notice per product with the invoice and transport document, and tell your buyer the fee amount.
LPCO
We hand over the notice number so the importer's customs broker declares it as LPCOVUCE0028 in the SIM.
Post-entry file
We leave the documents organized to answer any SENASA control after entry.
Risks of not having it
- If LPCOVUCE0028 is not declared when the SIM requests it, the customs entry cannot be lodged (RG ARCA 5731/2025).
- With signs of deterioration or document inconsistencies, the authority can require control before release, to be carried out within 3 business days (Decree 1812/92, art. 7, as amended by Decree 697/2026).
- If the product is already on the market and is found altered or unfit, it is recalled and destruction is at the importer's expense (Disp. 537/2025).
15+ years with Argentine agencies
Argentina's import notice for food from Annex III countries looks simple, and that is exactly where new importers stumble. A sworn statement is not enough if the free-sale certificate does not match the exact product, the declared lot differs from the shipment, or the Spanish label lacks the importer's details. With more than 15 years before Argentine regulators, we check those three points before every shipment.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries are in Annex III?
Australia, Canada, the Swiss Confederation, the European Union, the United States, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom. The annex also mentions countries with economic integration treaties or sanitary reciprocity agreements, but in those cases the authority may recognize the certification after evaluating their control system, according to Decree 697/2026.
Does the country of origin or the country of shipment matter?
What matters is who issues the certification. The certificate of free sale or marketing authorization must come from the health authority of an Annex III country. A product made in Asia and resold from Europe without European certification does not qualify for the notice: it goes through import authorization.
How much does the import notice cost?
SENASA's fee is a percentage of the FOB value per product: 1.5% or 1.25% depending on the bracket (SAGyP Res. 135/2026). According to the schedule of ANMAT Disp. 2978/2026, which that resolution adopted, 1.5% applies to imports below ARS 50,000,000 and 1.25% to higher amounts. For UPEI the notice has a fixed fee of ARS 52,500.
Does the importer need an RNE or RNPA to use the notice?
No. The notice is precisely the alternative to prior registration for products certified by Annex III countries. The importer must still be authorized under current rules, declare the warehouse and meet the limits and prohibitions of the Food Code, which prevail over the conditions of the country issuing the certificate.
Is the notice still filed with INAL?
No. Since Decree 697/2026, registration and oversight of imported food are SENASA's responsibility, and SENASA has charged the fee since 7 August 2026. The document the SIM validates is still LPCOVUCE0028. If there is doubt about how the agency appears in the system, we check it with your buyer before shipment.
Related procedures
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Food import authorization is SENASA's (formerly INAL) intervention for each shipment of food, inputs or packaging that is not certified by an Annex III country under D…
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SENASAFood contact materials
Food contact materials authorization allows packaging, films, tableware, kitchen utensils, flasks, bottles and any material that touches food to be sold in Argentina.
SENASAFront-of-pack labeling (seals)
Front-of-pack labeling means the black octagonal seals (excess sugars, total fat, saturated fat, sodium and calories) and the precautionary statements required by Law …
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