Brazil ICT Import Tariffs

On August 2, 2019, the Ministry of Economy (MoE)’s Foreign Trade and International Affairs Secretariat published two Portarias (Decrees) that temporarily removed import taxes on 281 machines and equipment, of which 261 were capital goods and 20 were computer and telecommunications goods.  Known as ex-tarifário in Brazil and Mercosur, the temporary import tax removal was issued to facilitate capital goods and information technology and telecommunications acquisition that lack national production.

The approval of the 281 ex-tarifário consists of two decrees of the secretariat published in the Government of Brazil (GoB) Official Gazette (DOU): Decrees 510 and 511.  Decree 510 temporarily shifted 261 capital goods import tariffs from 14% to zero, including 21 ex-tarifário renovations and 240 new ex-tarifário. Goods granted this import tax removal range from Harmonized System (HS) code 84 to 94, including traffic control systems, electric engines software’s and woodworking machine with software embedded.  Decree 511 issued 20 new ex-tarifário for information technology and telecommunications equipment (ICT) which will have the import tax reduced from 16% to zero. Goods granted this import tax removal range from HS code 84 to 90, including products from touchscreen terminals to ink reservoir devices for printers, multimodal biometric systems and voice recognition devices.

According to the MoE, the main objective issuing these decrees is to promote and to attract investments to Brazil by lowering tributes to pay in productive projects. The ex-tarifário granted expires in December 31, 2021.

Companies interested in the Brazilian ICT sector and to learn more about the ex-tarifário please contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Brazil:

Patricia Marega, ICT Trade Specialist
patricia.marega@trade.gov
Phone:  +55 11 3250-5482