Convenció internacional i procediments duaners al Brasil

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party of the International Coffee Agreement 2007

International Economic Cooperation

Brazil is a member of the following international economic organisations: IMF, Mercosur, ICC, G-15, G-20, G-24, G-77, Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), WTO, among others. For the full list of economic and other international organisations in which participates Brazil click here. International organisation membership of Brazil is also outlined here.

Non Tariff Barriers

A large number of imported products are subject to a prior license application to the SECEX (Secretariat for Foreign Trade), which is the only organisation authorised to issue this license. The license is valid for 60 days from the date of shipment of the goods (sometimes from the date of the license application). This period cannot be extended and is often insufficient. A new license application must then be made. For textiles, regulations are even stricter: the license is only issued if payment is carried out within 30 days following the date of the B/L (importers have to prove that they have effectively paid within the 30 days).

All imports must be accompanied at least by 2 copies of the commercial invoice and the B/L. In the case of non-compliance with the legal requirements of the country, customs officials have the right to impose large fines (commonly, up to 100% of the usual duties). It is advisable in any case to work with a very good Brazilian Customs broker, who stays up to date on Customs regulations.

One must consult the numerous sanitary regulations before undertaking any imports.

Since Brazil has launched the Brasil Maior (Greater Brazil) plan, a rise in trade protection has been observed.

Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports

13.46 %, which is within the average for emerging countries. You can find more information here.

Customs Classification

Brazil applies the Mercosur Common Nomenclature (NCM) is used to comply with the Harmonised Customs system.

Import Procedures

Foreign exporters and Brazilian importers must register with the Foreign Trade Secretariat (SECEX), a branch of the Ministry of Industrial Development and Commerce (MDIC). Companies seeking to import goods into Brazil must obtain a RADAR licence. The RADAR licence grants a password to access the Brazilian Integrated Foreign Trade System (SISCOMEX). The SISCOMEX is an electronic integrated trade documentation system designed by the Brazilian Government to control and monitor the Brazilian Foreign Trade. The RADAR licence can be limited, unlimited or express depdening on the amount of imported goods. Licence applications must be submitted to tax autorities and the type of licence is determined after a review of the financial capacities of the company. Other documents are necessary for custom clearance: the commercial invoice, incoterms, bill of lading and cargo manifest ,certificate of origin, import declaration and proof of import. Depending on the product, Brazilian authorities may require more documentation.

Import costs include the Import Duty (II), the Merchandise and Service Circulation tax (ICMS) and the Brazilian Federal Value-Added Tax on Manufactured Products (IPI). Import duty is a federal product-specific tax levied on a CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) basis. Rates usually vary between 10% and 35%. The IPI is a tax levied on finished products (whether foreign or domestic), resulting from some sort of industrial process. The IPI is not considered a cost for the importer, since the value is credited back to the importer. IPI rates range between 0% and 15%. The ICMS is the VAT levied by states and applies to the legal, physical, or economic circulation of goods, whether imported or not, the services of transportation and telecommunications. Although importers have to pay the ICMS to clear the imported product through Customs, it is not necessarily a cost item for the importer because the paid value represents a credit to the importer. ICMS rates vary from one state to another: in the State of São Paulo, the rate varies from 7-18 percent. Certain industries may qualify for a ICMS tax exemption.
Other minor taxes that apply to imports:

• PIS-Import and COFINS-Import are both federal contributions levied on the entrance of foreign goods into Brazilian territory.
• Freight Surcharge for Renewal of the Brazilian Merchant Marine (Adicional ao Frete para Renovação da Marinha Mercante – AFRMM) is a fee charged to support the development of merchant marine and shipping construction.

In order to attract investments, some Brazilian states grant tax incentives, consisting of total or partial reductions of ICMS on imports, which minimize tax costs of foreign trade operations.
For more information, please visit the website of Brazilian Tax Authority.

Importing Samples

For the import, export and re-export of commercial samples the ATA (Temporary Admission) carnet can be used. It must be written on the product that it is a free sample and that it may not be sold.

To go further, check out our service Import Controls and Export Controls.

For Further Information

Customs Department
The WTO website

Find out more about Sales and Distribution Service Providers in Brazil on GlobalTrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.