Private sectors in Brazil and the US unite against new tariffs.

Amcham Brazil, the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), and the US Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the governments of Brazil and the United States advocating for a short-term agreement that contributes to a negotiated solution within the framework of the Section 301 investigation involving Brazil and avoids the application of additional tariffs on Brazilian products. In the letter, the organizations emphasize that a negotiated solution represents the most effective way to strengthen competitiveness, expand economic opportunities, and generate lasting results for the bilateral relationship, avoiding undesirable effects for companies, workers, and consumers in both countries. They also argue that this understanding should be the first step in an incremental agenda, structured in two stages, that allows for deepening economic cooperation between Brazil and the United States. As an immediate priority, the letter proposes that negotiations focus on the following themes: – Expanding market access for certain products, including industrial inputs, capital goods, and products related to energy security, data center development, and artificial intelligence infrastructure; – To deepen regulatory cooperation to facilitate market access in sectors such as automotive, healthcare products, and medical equipment; – To support a long-term extension of the WTO moratorium on the non-incidence of customs duties on electronic transmissions; – To accelerate patent examination and reduce the backlog of patent applications in Brazil, especially in the healthcare and biopharmaceutical sectors, as well as to strengthen the fight against piracy and counterfeiting; – To advance cooperation on critical minerals, involving joint geological mapping, research and development, investments for processing and value addition, as well as the development of secure and resilient bilateral supply chains; and – To fully implement the ATEC Anti-Corruption Protocol. In a second phase, the entities suggest that the bilateral agenda be expanded to include other areas of mutual interest, such as resilience of production chains, energy security, digital economy, e-commerce, trade facilitation, innovation, industrial decarbonization, transport, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and other priorities capable of deepening bilateral trade and investment. The letter was sent, in Brazil, to the Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services, Márcio Elias Rosa, and to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira. In the United States, it was addressed to the United States Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer, and to the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. “On the eve of the investigation deadline, a concentrated effort by the governments of Brazil and the United States is essential to enable an agreement that avoids the application of tariffs and opens space for a broader agenda to strengthen the bilateral economic relationship,” states Abrão Neto, president of Amcham Brazil. Together, Amcham Brazil, CNI, and the US Chamber of Commerce represent thousands of companies from both countries and reaffirm their commitment to strengthening the economic partnership between Brazil and the United States through dialogue, negotiation, and cooperation between the public and private sectors.

This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.