Overview
- The government says it will send the texts of the understanding with the United States to Congress, while opposition lawmakers demand Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno appear before committees to explain the terms.
- The draft commits Argentina to tighten intellectual property enforcement and address issues cited in the USTR Special 301 report, including patentability criteria, patent backlogs and geographical indications, plus action against counterfeits.
- Foreign pharmaceutical chambers welcomed alignment with international standards, but domestic drugmakers warn that revisiting a 2012 rule underpinning generics could damage local production.
- Seed and agrochemical firms are divided, with research-based multinationals pushing for stronger protections and generic producers wary of losing market access, as sectors await final language.
- Sources report President Javier Milei is considering another US trip before year-end to advance or attend a signing, even as questions persist over concrete market access gains, sector carve-outs and potential financial backing from Washington.