On February 5, 2026, Argentina and the United States signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade and Investment (“ARTI”). This instrument, which concludes negotiations that began a few years back, reshapes the bilateral relationship between the two countries, by not only reducing trade barriers but also establishing guidelines on regulatory governance in areas such as digital economy, technological infrastructure and cross-border data flows.
In that regard, one of the most disruptive developments is that Argentina commits to recognize the United States as an adequate country for international data transfers. This would allow direct transfers to the U.S. without the need for additional safeguards, reducing the operational constraints typically faced by organizations.
Furthermore, through the ARTI, Argentina undertakes to participate, first, in the Global Cross‑Border Privacy Rules Forum, where organizations can certify compliance with international privacy standards and thus validate international data transfers. Argentina also commits to join the Global Cooperation Arrangement for Privacy Enforcement, a framework for mutual assistance among data protection supervisory authorities. Participation in both structures would, in principle, facilitate data flows without requiring Argentina to implement regulatory adjustments.
In summary, the ARTI establishes a broad economic and regulatory cooperation framework between Argentina and the United States, introducing significant changes for both the private and public sectors in the field of privacy and personal data.
In order to access the full text of the ARTI, click here
