According to a survey by the Foreign Trade Secretariat, the 50% surcharge will focus on a volume equivalent to US $ 14.5 billion exported in 2024; List of exceptions consists of 694 items
O Published on Thursday (31) the first official analyzes of the portfolio on the presidential decree signed by US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday, 30, directed to Brazilian exports. According to a preliminary survey of the Foreign Trade Secretariat (Secex/MDIC), the 50% surcharge will focus on 35.9% of Brazilian exports to the United States, which corresponded to US $ 14.5 billion in 2024. 45% of Brazilian sales to the US market (US $ 1824) are excluded from decree. The list of exceptions consists of 694 items, such as airplanes, pulp, orange juice, oil and iron ore.
In addition, 19.5% of Brazilian exports to They are subject to specific tariffs, applied to all countries, corresponding to 2024 to US $ 7.9 billion. These rates were adopted based on Section 232 (National Security) and, on these products, does not apply the measure announced on Wednesday (30). “In general, most Brazilian exports (64.1%) continues to compete with products from other origins in the US market under similar conditions,” says the MDIC note. The folder reports that the data is approximate, either because of the use of the product, or the detailed list of certain items has not yet been disclosed. Transit products will not be affected by additional tariffs. The decision of July 30 excludes from the tariff increase goods that have been shipped in Brazil, up to seven days after the date of Trump’s decree.
Negotiations continue
Yesterday, the Vice President of the Republic and Minister of MDIC, Geraldo Alckmin, said negotiations with the United States continues, despite the exceptions. During participation in TV Globo’s Mais Você program, he said the exempt product list would have already been the result of conversations with members of the US government. The vice president added that the negotiations go, regardless of the term of the rate applied to Brazil. “Negotiations start today (yesterday),” he said, saying the focus is to reduce rates and increase the list of exceptions. “We will work to preserve jobs, productions and to advance market opening.”
Alckmin also said that eventual direct conversation between President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Trump depends on “preparation”. And he stressed that the decision to tax at 50% part of Brazilian products in the US is being questioned in the American judiciary by companies in that country. The United States has commercial surplus with Brazil. The judicialization by US companies may be one of the fronts to reverse the tariff against Brazilian products-justified by Trump by political factors, including articulation of allies by former President Jair Bolsonaro in the US.
Alckmin said it was difficult to dig the impact of 50% fare on agricultural products, such as food, but said it will certainly increase the domestic supply of products affected by the rate if there is no reversal of US measurement. “Many of the exports are complementary, serve the domestic market and export the surplus.” In the same vein, Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said yesterday that the Brazilian government continues the negotiations. The minister said he will have a meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the coming days.
Haddad pointed out that the starting point is better than expected, but far from the point of arrival. According to him, despite the exceptions there are sectors in dramatic situations that need actions in the short term. “Therefore, we will do the calibration about the contingency plan in light of what happened yesterday (the day before yesterday),” he said, noting that the plan will be presented in the coming days.
*With information from Estadão Content
