May 30th, 2025
1. National government makes immigration reform official
The government of Javier Milei made the immigration reform official by means of Decree 366/2025, introducing significant changes in the policies of entry, permanence and access to public services for foreigners in Argentina. Among the main modifications are the tightening of the requirements to obtain citizenship, the expulsion of illegal immigrants or those with convictions, and new conditions for access to health and education. In addition, it is established that foreigners will be admitted in the categories of “permanent residents,” “temporary residents” or “transitory residents,” and that the “precarious residence” may be revoked by Migrations when the reasons are distorted. As regards access to public health care, the decree stipulates that, except in cases of emergency, foreigners must present a health insurance policy or pay in advance to receive medical care in health centers administered by the national government. Permanent residents, however, will be able to access the public health system on equal terms as Argentine citizens. With respect to education, state university institutions will be allowed to charge a fee for education services for foreign students who do not have permanent residence.
2. US Secretary of Health is received by President Milei in Argentina
President Javier Milei met at the Casa Rosada with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the US Secretary of Health and Human Services. The meeting was attended by Argentine Health Minister Mario Lugones; the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Argentina, Abigail Dressel; the Secretary’s Senior Advisor, Stefanie Nicole Spear; and Hannah Ingrid Anderson. They described the meeting as “very good” and said that an agenda had been set for joint work between the two countries. According to the first official statements after the meeting, the meeting was intended to confirm the alignment between the two administrations to collaborate on health issues, both bilaterally and in a more global context. They even stated that “an alliance with Argentina was discussed to work together on various issues in general, not just health.”
3. Argentina regains access to international markets after 7 years
On Wednesday, the government secured a $1 billion loan from domestic and foreign investors—non-residents in Argentina—including banks and investment funds, through the placement of a 5-year Treasury Bond (BONTE), which will be issued, traded, and paid in pesos. In this way, Argentina is beginning to regain access to markets with private bondholders abroad and will accumulate foreign currency to pay the next debt maturities on July 9, 2025, and January 9, 2026. This is the first time in the last seven years, since the 2018 crisis, that Argentina has issued debt to non-resident private investors.
4. ARCA raised the spending threshold for identifying end consumers
The Customs Revenue and Control Agency (ARCA) formalized a series of changes to the receipt issuance regime, within the framework of the measures recently announced by the National Government. According to reports, the purpose of these changes is to streamline administrative processes and reduce the bureaucratic burden on both taxpayers and businesses. One of the most significant modifications is the update of the monetary thresholds above which various financial transactions must be reported, such as bank transfers, cash withdrawals, or holdings in settlement and clearing agent accounts. Among the most significant changes is the increase in the minimum amount that requires the end consumer to be identified on invoices. From now on, businesses will only have to record the buyer’s tax information if the transaction exceeds 10 million pesos.
Ámbito: ARCA actualizó los montos mínimos que activan controles sobre compras de consumidores finales
5. Delegation of the European Parliament makes a presentation to the Chamber of Deputies on the Mercosur-EU agreement
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies received a delegation from the European Parliament to discuss the delayed Trade Agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. The meeting was headed by Fernando Iglesias (PRO) and David McAllister, president of the European delegation, who expressed his strong support for the agreement, considering it a political milestone in favor of the free market and strategic cooperation between democratic blocs. Legislators from different blocs highlighted the economic and geopolitical opportunities of the agreement, although Unión por la Patria advanced its rejection. During the meeting, it was remarked that the treaty is going through its final stage of legal revision and could be approved in 2025 under the Danish presidency of the European Council. Deputies stressed the need to provide predictability and take advantage of the momentum to attract investments, considering that the first Mercosur country to ratify the agreement will have benefits over the others.
Infobae: Eurodiputados visitan Uruguay y Argentina para debatir sobre Mercosur y geopolítica