The Brazilian government formalized a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) claiming that the tariffs applied by the United States violate international trade rules. The document, sent last Monday (27), points out that the North American measures are inconsistent with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade of 1994, the entity's normative basis.
The initiative is part of the WTO's dispute settlement system and represents the first formal stage of a dispute process. In this consultation phase, the objective is to try to reach a negotiated solution between the parties before a panel of experts is established to analyze the case definitively.
The Brazilian challenge focuses on two main taxation points. The first involves an additional 25% tariff on Brazilian products, following an investigation that addressed topics such as digital trade, intellectual property, and the fight against deforestation. The second point refers to a 12.5% tax applied after an investigation involving 60 economies regarding import restrictions linked to forced labor.
In addition to the technical issue of the tariffs, Brazil argues that it is being treated in a discriminatory manner. According to Itamaraty, the United States failed by not granting Brazilian products the same privileges or immunities offered to other WTO members, using Section 301 to impose barriers that are not applied to other commercial partners.
Through this request for consultations, the Brazilian government seeks to ensure that the measures adopted by the US respect compatibility with multilateral trade rules. The process seeks to reverse the scenario of trade inequality that the country claims to be facing in its relations with the North American power.
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