Economic and Commercial Department

Welcome to the Website of the Economic and Commercial Department of the Embassy of Uruguay in the United States.

The site provides information on  activities and services for Uruguayan companies and trade agents with special interest in the US market, as well as links to trade and economic information on Uruguay.

This Economic and Commercial Department is part of a network of trade promotion offices managed and staffed by diplomatic personnel of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay placed around the world. Its main mission is to promote Uruguayan exports and foreign direct investment in Uruguay.

Index

Uruguay Basic Indicators

 

Trading with Uruguay

Uruguay Trade in Goods

Top-twenty Uruguayan exports to United States in 2006

Top-twenty United States exports to Uruguay in 2006

U.S. Generalized System of Preference (GSP)

Uruguay trade in Services

Tourism

 

Investing in Uruguay

Bilateral Investment Treaty Uruguay-United States

 

Investments Section

The Investors Support Center (Unidad de Apoyo al Desarrollo y la Inversión en el Sector Privado), Ministry of Economy and Finance

 

Innovation and technology

"American Innovation Forum" AIF 2008 (March 30th to April 2nd, 2008, Punta del Este, Uruguay)

 

Uruguay Basic Indicators
 

Human development Index

Living Standards Indicators

Economic performance

Structure of trade

Priorities in public spending

Energy and the environment

Technology: diffusion and creation

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Trading with Uruguay

Sub-Index

Uruguay Trade in Goods

Bilateral Trade – United States/Uruguay

Top-twenty Uruguayan exports to United States in 2006

Top-twenty United States exports to Uruguay

Uruguay Trade in Goods

(In thousands US$, Exports in Uy FOB Value, Imports in Uy Customs Value.)

Uruguay Trade in Services

Tourism

Bilateral Trade – United States/Uruguay

(In thousands US$, Exports in Uy FOB Value, Imports in Uy Customs Value.)

Uruguayan exports to United States by US Import Program

(In thousands US$, Exports in Uy FOB Value, Imports in Uy Customs Value.)

Holando cattle, the main dairy breed in Uruguay.

Top-twenty Uruguayan exports to United States in 2004-2006

 

HTS number	2004	2005	2006	Percent Change 2005 - 2006
	In 1,000 DollarsU.S. General Customs Value
0202 MEAT OF BOVINE ANIMALS, FROZEN	255,246	350,482	205,860	-41.3%
2710 PETROLEUM OILS AND OILS FROM BITUMINOUS MINERALS (OTHER THAN CRUDE) AND PRODUCTS THEREFROM, NESOI, CONTAINING 70% (BY WEIGHT) OR MORE OF THESE OILS	81,252	97,486	69,017	-29.2%
0201 MEAT OF BOVINE ANIMALS, FRESH OR CHILLED	42,016	56,819	29,465	-48.1%
4107 LEATHER FURTHER PREPARED AFTER TANNING OR CRUSTING, OF BOVINE (INCLUDING BUFFALO) AND EQUINE ANIMALS, WITHOUT HAIR ON, OTHER THAN OF HEADING 4114	43,772	33,515	21,716	-35.2%
1602 PREPARED OR PRESERVED MEAT, MEAT OFFAL OR BLOOD, NESOI	11,912	21,886	21,018	-4.0%
4407 WOOD SAWN OR CHIPPED LENGTHWISE, SLICED OR PEELED, MORE THAN 6 MM (.236 IN.) THICK	11,871	15,424	20,065	30.1%
9801 EXPORTS OF ARTICLES IMPORTED FOR REPAIRS ETC.; IMPORTS OF ARTICLES EXPORTED AND RETURNED, UNADVANCED; IMPORTS OF ANIMALS EXPORTED AND RETURNED	18,993	14,554	17,680	21.5%
0406 CHEESE AND CURD	12,022	16,367	16,970	3.7%
0303 FISH, FROZEN, EXCLUDING FISH FILLETS AND OTHER FISH MEAT WITHOUT BONES; FISH LIVERS AND ROES, FROZEN	9,575	11,713	15,088	28.8%
0206 EDIBLE OFFAL OF BOVINE ANIMALS, SWINE, SHEEP, GOATS, HORSES ETC., FRESH, CHILLED OR FROZEN	5,581	10,804	12,140	12.4%
8708 PARTS AND ACCESSORIES FOR TRACTORS, PUBLIC-TRANSPORT PASSENGER VEHICLES, MOTOR CARS, GOODS TRANSPORT MOTOR VEHICLES AND SPECIAL PURPOSE MOTOR VEHICLES	551	692	7,996	1,054.8%
6110 SWEATERS, PULLOVERS, SWEATSHIRTS, WAISTCOATS (VESTS) AND SIMILAR ARTICLES, KNITTED OR CROCHETED	4,841	4,389	3,558	-18.9%
4412 PLYWOOD, VENEERED PANELS AND SIMILAR LAMINATED WOOD	0	5	3,238	62,124.5%
4104 TANNED OR CRUST BOVINE (INCLUDING BUFFALO) AND EQUINE HIDES AND SKINS, WITHOUT HAIR ON, WHETHER OR NOT SPLIT, BUT NOT FURTHER PREPARED	345	138	3,060	2,123.1%
7604 ALUMINUM BARS, RODS AND PROFILES	2,019	2,533	3,058	20.7%
0409 HONEY, NATURAL	6,974	5,489	2,394	-56.4%
6813 FRICTION MATERIAL AND ARTICLES THEREOF (SHEETS, ROLLS, STRIPS, DISCS ETC.), BASED ON ASBESTOS, OTHER MINERAL SUBSTANCES OR OF CELLULOSE	2,547	2,618	2,240	-14.4%
3920 PLATES, SHEETS, FILM, FOIL AND STRIP, EXCEPT SELF-ADHESIVE, OF PLASTICS, NON-CELLULAR, NOT REINFORCED, LAMINATED ETC. OR COMBINED WITH OTHER MATERIALS	79	1,206	1,981	64.3%
3303 PERFUMES AND TOILET WATERS	968	1,076	1,822	69.4%
2936 PROVITAMINS AND VITAMINS, NATURAL OR SYNTHETIC, DERIVATIVES THEREOF USED PRIMARILY AS VITAMINS, AND INTERMIXTURES OF THE FOREGOING	1,332	1,971	1,822	-7.6%
Subtotal :	511,897	649,167	460,188	-29.1%
All Other:	68,097	82,883	52,204	-37.0%
Total	579,994	732,050	512,391	-30.0%

 

 

Hereford cattle in their natural habitat

Top-twenty-five United States exports to Uruguay

numbers are in thousands ($ USD)

(Note: Value Provided by the Office of Trade and Industry Information (OTII), Manufacturing and Services, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. In thousands US$, in US FAS)

Uruguayan blueberries, wines, cheese and citrus

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Investing in Uruguay

Sub-Index

Why Uruguay?

General Investment Regime

Why Uruguay?

Strategic Location and Market Access

Uruguay is geographically at the center of a market inhabited by more than 215 million consumers, with the highest per capita income in the continent, and a GDP of US$ 600 billions. MERCOSUR has its best “gateway” in Uruguay, greatly enhanced with the conditions that the MERCOSUR agreement has created for the development of trade and business among countries all over the world.

There is easy access to a large market (especially to the core of business region which is situated in a 1.500 km. radius area). In addition, regions and countries in the world are assured by an extensive and reliable communications network, together with strongly competitive financial and business support services.

Due to Uruguay’s economic and political stability allowing Uruguay to be an ideal platform for business opportunities for not only the area, but also the world. Furthermore, Uruguay is known for having an open and cosmopolitan society that contributes to its overall success.

Infrastructure

• Telecommunications. Uruguay has made important investments in telecommunications gaining a preeminent position in Latin America, as reflected in the following indices: 100 percent of the lines are digital, there is a cellular telephone density of 15% and there is a 14% of direct access to internet in relation to total population. These two indicators are constantly growing and respective tariffs are experiencing a slow, yet permanent decrease. The government is emphasizing further improvement of telecommunications and tariff reductions, to act as the basis for the development of new economic activities. Competitive tariffs at a national and international level allow the costs of communications to be the lowest of the region.

• Transportation system. Due to its geographic location, Uruguay is a permanent link for land and maritime communications between the MERCOSUR countries, especially Argentina and Brazil; this situation is the result of its strategic insertion between the more wealthy and developed areas of its neighboring countries. Uruguay has developed advantages in the provision of services. In particular, its transportation system has infrastructures in place and important investments to come. With the existing infrastructures and those developing projects, Uruguay offers a response to the transportation demands of the interchange flows between the MERCOSUR countries, and to the regional requirements for international interchange.

  Uruguay’s transportation infrastructure allows full interconnection of its territory with the area that stands for 80% of the GDP of the region without limitations.

• Road transportation. The road network, substantially paved and adapted to the current territorial model, is the most dense network of Latin America and the Caribbean, with 45 km paved roads for each 1000 km² of surface.

  International cargo transportation flows without restrictions through the different borderline points between Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Paraguay, with an available fleet.

  The internal transportation of passengers is made substantially by bus through private enterprises under a regulated competition system, which has led to solutions under high standards of quality and efficiency.

  The interconnection with neighbor countries is made through different border points: with Argentina there are 3 bridges across the River Uruguay in the cities of Salto, Paysandú and Fray Bentos, whereas with Brazil highways converge in the towns of Artigas, Rivera, Río Branco and Chuy.

  The distances between Montevideo and the main cities of the region are the following (in km.):

• Railroad transportation. The Uruguayan railroad network is single standard track, except for 11 km of double track in the access to Montevideo. Interconnection with Argentina is made without changing of track whereas this change is necessary with Brazil.

  The system is operated by the State Railroad Administration (AFE, an autonomous state enterprise opened to the participation of private operators).

  The network is structured in three main lines that converge in the central station, next to the port of Montevideo, which has direct access from the railroad system.

  The railroad transportation rates are competitive with truck rates in the segments of bulk demands served by the railroad.

  Railroad passenger transportation operates in some small short distance interurban segments.

• River and sea transportation. The main local port of Montevideo is the deepest natural harbor of the River Plate area. It receives sea lines from all over the world and concentrates the export, import and transit trade. It is the first and only terminal in the Atlantic coast of South America that operates under the free port system.

  The port is a terminal that within its boundaries is a zone of customs exclusion where private operators offer a number of services of international level including container, terminal and container warehousing.

• Paraguay-Paraná Waterway. The port of Nueva Palmira, the terminal of the Paraná-Paraguay waterway, is in full expansion. This waterway, 3.442 km. long, includes the River Plate and the Paraguay and Paraná rivers connecting the center of South America with the Atlantic coast, i.e., the most important river transportation system in South America.

  This requires investments identified for the improvement of the navigation in the waterway of about US$ 120 million plus an important investment in fleet and port improvements.

  Uruguay intends to grant concessions of both sea and river port installations for the transshipment of grains, located in the port of Nueva Palmira, which involves the exploitation of docks, silos and transshipment equipment and the expansion of equipment and infrastructure.

• Air transportation. The main airport installations are in the zone that concentrates population and tourist infrastructure, between Montevideo and Punta del Este.

  Carrasco International Airport is located east of Montevideo 18 km from downtown and is the main air terminal of Uruguay. Intercontinental connections are in charge of 10 international airlines with regular passenger and air cargo services, some on a daily basis.

  Currently in a project stage, a demodulation and enlargement program for the Carrasco International Airport will be completed through private investment, in order to improve the existing infrastructure.

  Laguna del Sauce Airport is located 15 km away from Punta del Este and both its terminal building and runways have been fully renovated.

• Energy. The basic sources of primary energy in Uruguay are hydroelectric and oil.

  The limitations in the hydroelectric potential in Uruguay facing an increasing demand have focused government policy on incorporating new sources of energy in the national energy plan. Current efforts are directed to introducing natural gas from the neighbor countries.

  Gas pipeline. A gas pipeline between Montevideo and Buenos Aires allows the transportation of natural gas between Argentina and Uruguay, which is used basically to generate electricity. It has already been constructed the "Littoral" pipeline, that transports gas from Entre Ríos in Argentina to Paysandú in Uruguay. This 20 km. long pipeline, feeds the cement and alcohol plants of ANCAP, the industries of Paysandú, and the "city gate" from which the distribution network to homes is supplied.

  It has already been constructed the “Littoral” pipeline, that transports gas from Entre Ríos in Argentina to Paysandú in Uruguay. This 20 km. long pipeline, feeds the cement and alcohol plants of ANCAP, the industries of Paysandú, and the “city gate” from which the distribution network to homes is supplied.

• Energy deregulation. As established in the law deregulating the energy production, thermo electric units may be built by the private sector under the BOT system (build, operate and transfer) and the electricity produced can be marketed to large consumers or to the state utility (UTE).

• Water supply. The supply of potable water is available throughout the country permanently, complying with the World Health Organization (OMS) standards on potable water.

  The state company in charge of the supply of water, OSE, is undertaking several significant plans for improving the system through contracting private local and foreign companies for the related construction work.  

Human Resources

• People. Uruguay is a country where the human dimension of its society remains intact. Comparable to those of the developed world, the social indicators show the educational and intellectual foundations of its population. From the outset, since it became an independent nation, economic activity in Uruguay has developed around the perfect symbiosis of two pillars: the abundance of its natural resources and the work of its people, most of which were European immigrants.

  Successive generations of Uruguayans have completed primary schooling in the framework of a long-standing tradition of lay, free and compulsory education. The State-run school system has now extended its coverage to younger children (starting pre-school at 4 years of age), and at present 92% of all Uruguayan children attends kindergarten, be it public or private, for at least one year.

  At secondary school level, Uruguay has the highest schooling rate in Latin America –85%-, double the mean rate for the hemisphere. Specialised vocational training starts at that level, apart from the normal programme that prepares students who wish to pursue university studies in whatever field they choose.

  The Uruguayan university system is acknowledged worldwide for the capacity of its scientists, teachers and graduates in the different technical and professional areas. The traditional, almost 200-year old, Universidad de la República is no longer alone: in the last few years numerous private institutions and universities are also providing a complementary range of similarly high-quality educational programmes at tertiary level.

  The high level of training of the workforce explains the ease with which Uruguayans can adapt to the use of new technologies in productive processes, and it also accounts for the development of new technological tools to be applied in businesses. The result of all this is a continuous increase in productivity. At present, one out of every three workers has completed vocational and/or university studies.

  The capacity of the Uruguayan people has always been the leading comparative advantages of the country. This quality is especially well known among strategic decision-makers working for Uruguayan and foreign companies.

  There is no doubt that the main asset of Uruguay is its people.

Uruguay Investment Climate

General Investment Regime (click here for more info)

Information for Investors in Uruguay: Uruguay on the Internet

Useful links

Government links

• Presidency of Uruguay

• Foreign Affairs (MRREE)

• Economy and Finance (MEF)

• Cattle, Agriculture and Fishery (MGAP)

• Industry, Energy and Mining (MIEM)

• Transportation (MTOP)

• Labor and Social Security (MTSS)

• Tourism (MINTUR)

• Housing Territorial and Environment (MVOTMA)

• National Statistics Institute (INE)

• Planning and Budget Office (OPP)

• Development Project’s Office, OPP

• Uruguay On Line

• Statistics - Aduanas

• IT Uruguayenred

• IT IT Uruguay

Services

• MINTUR Inversiones

• Uruguay XXI Inversiones

• Ports

• Financial Sector

• DPC (MRREE)

• IT IT Business in Uruguay

• LATU COEX (in Spanish) 

• IT Uruguayan Chamber of IT

• Zonamérica Business & Technology Park

General information

• Uruguay y el MERCOSUR (in Spanish)

• Uruguay Total Prices, tourism and other links

• Tourism (MINTUR)

• Hotels online sources

• Moving to Uruguay

• Art and Culture

• General Information An unknown paradise

• Travel Document Systems

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