The United States and Argentina signed a comprehensive reciprocal trade and investment agreement Thursday that reduces or eliminates tariffs on a wide range of U.S. exports, grants preferential market access, recognizes U.S. safety and regulatory standards for imports, and commits both countries to countering unfair trade practices by third nations while expanding cooperation on energy, critical minerals, and national security.

The agreement was finalized by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Argentina’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, building on a framework deal reached November 13. Under the deal, Argentina will cut or eliminate tariffs on U.S. goods including medicines, medical devices, chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, IT products, and a broad array of agricultural items. Argentina also agreed to accept U.S. safety standards for automobiles and medical devices, USDA food safety standards for meat and poultry, open its market to U.S. poultry within a year, and simplify requirements for beef and pork exports.

The pact bars Argentina from imposing duties on cross-border data transmissions and from introducing a digital services tax targeting U.S. tech companies. It protects U.S. cheese names such as asiago, feta, and camembert from EU-style geographic indication restrictions. Both countries pledged closer collaboration on export controls for dual-use items with military applications and on securing telecommunications infrastructure, with the USTR noting the agreement strengthens efforts against market-manipulating economies, a clear reference to China.

Argentina committed to prioritizing U.S. investment in critical mineral projects like copper and lithium, giving preference to American firms over adversarial actors. President Javier Milei’s administration described the deal as a step toward an open, competitive, and predictable economy that rewards investment and innovation. Greer praised the growing partnership, saying it demonstrates how countries in the Americas can advance shared economic and national security goals.