Investment Policy Monitor
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
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UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
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Investment Policy Measures
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Argentina
02 Sep 2024Reduces tax on foreign currency acquisition
On 2 September 2024, the Government of Argentina published Decree No. 777/2024, reducing the tax on the acquisition of foreign currency from 17.5% to 7.5% for specific transactions. These include payments for freight and transport [...]
Argentina
27 Jun 2024Allows the privatization of 8 public enterprises
On 27 June 2024, the Congress of Argentina passed Law No. 27,742, known as the “Ley Bases” or “Bases and Starting Points for the Liberty of the Argentine People” in English. Among other, the Ley Bases authorizes the executive branch [...]
Argentina
27 Jun 2024Adopts new incentive regime for large investments
On 27 June 2024, the Congress of Argentina passed Law No. 27,742, known as the “Ley Bases” (Bases and Starting Points for the Liberty of the Argentine People). Among other provisions, the Ley Bases establishes the incentive regime [...]
Argentina
27 Mar 2024Relaxes registration requirements for foreign companies
On 27 March 2024, the Government of Argentina adopted General Resolution 10/2024, introducing significant changes to regulations governing foreign companies operating in Argentina. The resolution repeals General Resolution IGJ No. [...]
Argentina
24 Jul 2023Extends the tax on foreign currency to new transactions
On 24 July 2023, the Argentine National Executive Branch ("PEN" in Spanish) published in the Official Gazette Decrees 377 and 378, which establish certain tax and foreign exchange measures. Decree No. 377/23 brings significant modifications [...]
Argentina
14 Jun 2023Adopts new incentives for investment in the automotive sector
On June 14, 2023, the Government of Argentina, through Decree 201/2023, introduced a new promotion scheme for the importation of select unassembled vehicles. This initiative is designed to streamline the importation process for specific [...]
Argentina
27 Dec 2022Implements a new mandatory disclosure regime for international transactions
On December 27, 2022, the Federal Tax Authority of Argentina (FTA) issued a resolution in the Official Gazette, introducing the International Comprehensive Information Reporting Regime (RICOI). RICOI imposes compliance requirements [...]
Argentina
19 Sep 2022Creates new investment incentives regime for the automotive manufacturing sector
On 1 September 2022, the Argentine Congress enacted Law 27.686 to Promotote Investments in the Automotive Industry and its Value Chain ("Ley de Promoción de Inversiones en la Industria Automotriz-Autopartista y su Cadena de valor"). [...]
Argentina
16 Jun 2022Enacts new financial incentives regime for diesel oil refining and production
On 16 June 2022, the Government of Argentina enacted Decree No. 329/2022 "Regimen de Incentivos al Abastecimiento Interno de Combustibles" ("Incentives Regime for the internal supply of Fuels"). The Decree entered into force on the [...]
Argentina
26 Oct 2020Restores and amends special tax regime for knowledge-based economy
On 26 October 2020, Law No. 27.570 ("Promotion Regime for Knowledge-Based Economy") entered into force. The new legislation restores and amends a previously suspended regime, created by Law 27.506 on June 2019. The new regime aims [...]
Argentina
21 Jan 2020Suspends tax incentives regime for high tech sector
On 20 January 2020, the government announced the suspension of the incentives scheme under Law Nº 27.506. The regime was aimed to promote investments requiring significant R&D and technological know-how. The regime offered a [...]
Argentina
23 Dec 2019Imposes sales tax on automobiles and other vehicles
The new tax applies to land vehicles for private use and other leisure-oriented motor vehicles (motorcycles, watercraft, aircraft) whose price exceeds 1,3 million ARG pesos before tax (approx. 21,000 $USD). The measure applies to both [...]
Argentina
01 Sep 2019Tightens its foreign exchange regime
On 1 September 2019, the Central Bank of Argentina published its Communication A6770 to regulate the inflow and outflow of foreign exchange. The new restrictions specify, for example, that: - export earnings in dollars must be exchanged [...]
Argentina
06 Jun 2019Introduces new tax incentives in high tech sectors
On 6 June 2019, the new Law No. 27506 was enacted, introducing a Regime for the Promotion of the Knowledge Economy. Its aim is to promote economic activities in the following areas: computer and digital software and services; audiovisual [...]
Argentina
11 Jan 2018Eliminates bureaucratic obstacles to attract private investments
On 11 January 2018, the Government published a decree with 170 measures that will eliminate rules and regulations that are considered to reduce the country's competitiveness to attract private investment. Among others, the decree will [...]
Argentina
05 Jan 2017Ends restrictions on repatriation funds
On 5 January 2017, Argentina ended a required holding period for foreign capital of 120 days to repatriate funds that foreign investors had moved into the country. [...]
Argentina
30 Nov 2016Lowers Barriers to Foreign Investment in Public Works
On 30 November 2016, Argentina passed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) law to attract investment in productive activities, public infrastructure, housing, applied research and innovative technologies. The law regulates contracts [...]
Argentina
29 Jun 2016Relaxes restrictions on foreign ownership of rural properties
On 29 June 2016, Argentina enacted Decree 820/2016, easing certain restrictions imposed under existing laws on the acquisition and leasing of rural lands by foreign individuals and legal entities (Law No. 26,737 of 2011). The new decree [...]
Argentina
23 Sep 2015Passes law making it harder to sell state stakes in firms
On 23 September 2015, Argentina's Congress gave final approval to a law making it harder for the Government to sell State stakes in local firms. The law creates an agency to administer the State's stakes in companies as diverse as [...]
Argentina
03 Feb 2015Government establishes a Crude Oil Production Stimulus Program
On 3 February 2015, the Commission for the Planning and Coordination of the National Hydrocarbons Investment Plan adopted Resolution 14/2015, establishing a "Crude Oil Production Stimulus Program", effective from 1 January 2015 until [...]
Argentina
31 Oct 2014Amendment of Hydrocarbons Law
The Argentine Congress approved an amendment to the Federal Hydrocarbons Law (Ley 27.007) . It improves investment conditions for the Argentine hydrocarbon industry by: (i) extending exploration and production terms, (ii) creating [...]
Argentina
07 Aug 2014Introduces stimulus measures for employment and manufacturing
On 7 August 2014, the president of Argentina announced an increase in salary subsidies under the Programa de Recuperación Productiva (Repro, the Productive Recovery Programme), which had been established in 2009. Monthly subsidies [...]
Argentina
23 Oct 2012New committee to supervise investments by insurance and re-insurance companies
The Government of Argentina created a committee to supervise investments by insurance and re-insurance companies in the real economy (Joint Resolutions 620/2012 and 365/2012). The measure is part of a Strategic National Insurance [...]
Argentina
14 Apr 2012Approves expropriation of major oil and gas companies
The Congress approved a law (26.741/12) that declares to be in the public interest and subject to expropriation 51 percent of the share capital of YPF, owned by Repsol YPF (Spain), and 51 percent of the share capital of Repsol YPF [...]
Argentina
27 Dec 2011Restricts land ownership by foreigners
The Government approved legislation on that limits land ownership by foreigners (both individuals and firms) to 15 percent of productive lands. The restriction applies to provinces and municipalities separately. Additionally, foreigners [...]
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
-
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Share
Latest publications
