The national government has established a new regime for the collection of the Profits Tax on exports of precious metals: gold, silver, and platinum. The measure applies to the exit operations of these precious metals intended for processing, refining, or deposit abroad for subsequent sale. The new scheme sets a 1% rate to be applied to the value used to determine export duties. The General Directorate of Customs will act as the collection agent in these transactions, which include the metals at any stage of production, including the so-called gold bullion. The regulation was officially established through General Resolution 5815/2026 of the Revenue and Customs Control Agency (ARCA), published this Friday in the Official Bulletin and processed by the Argentine News Agency. According to the considerations of the measure, the objective is to guarantee control mechanisms and prevent maneuvers that affect the fiscal interest in a strategic sector for the generation of foreign currency. The collection must be determined at the time of customs tax settlement, and payment must be made within 15 business days following the release of the merchandise. In case of non-compliance, exporters may be suspended from the corresponding registry and will have to pay compensatory interest. The amount paid under this concept will be considered as a tax paid and will be computable in the Profit and Loss tax return for the fiscal period in which the transfer of the merchandise is made. However, the resolution clarifies that this collection cannot be used for the determination or reduction of the advances of said tax. Finally, affected companies must comply with a quarterly information regime. This requires the presentation of a certification issued by an independent professional in economic sciences detailing the quantity and quality of the metals exported, along with the supporting documentation for the operations.
