The Brazilian President, Lula da Silva, today sanctioned the law that ends the 20% import tax on international purchases of up to $50, one of the measures that are included in his campaign agenda for re-election.
© Lusa
10/09/2026
by
Lusa
“ Nos we are making a repair so much for people who do not travel by plane, who cannot buy wine, who cannot buy whiskey, who can not buy fancy leather blouse, but who buy a smaller thing ", said.
The end of this import tax was in force in Brazil since May, via Provisional Measure, but it would lose its validity on September 8, if it were not approved by Congress, what actually happened last week.
The proposal entered Lula's negotiations with the presidents of the House of Representatives and Senate, at the end of last month, after pacification with the Palácio do Planalto (Brazilian Presidency), when they signaled that the text would be approved.
In his speech at the Palácio do Planalto, Lula refuted the argument of entrepreneurs that the end of the tax will cause damage to Brazilian trade and loss of jobs.
“ I think it's kind of a fake speech from businessmen who say they're going to get hurt. Let's let time pass to see who was with the truth. What we are doing is justice”, he stressed.
In May this year, when the provisional measure was published, the Brazilian Textile Retail Association classified it as a “severe economic setback” and a “direct attack on the national industry and retail.”.
Along the same lines, the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI) claimed that the text is a setback, as it increases inequality between domestic and foreign companies.
It was created in 2024 by the economic team and established a 20% rate for international purchases of up to $50 on online platforms.
At the time, the Lula Government defended the need to combat competition deemed unfair by Brazilian industry and retail sectors (direct sales to consumers) against Chinese international shopping platforms.
By sanctioning the law that ends the 20% tax today, Lula revealed, for the first time, that he only made the taxation “incongruous” in 2024 by pressure of the then president of the House of Representatives, Arthur Lira.
According to Lira – who is currently a candidate for the Senate – he said there was pressure from entrepreneurs and negotiations between the National Congress and the Palácio do Planalto.