The tax rate on another 15 IT products was maintained at previous levels, which include smartphones
The Executive Management Committee – Gecex, the collegiate executive nucleus of the Chamber of Foreign Commerce (Camex), retreated from raising the rates of 120 products classified as capital goods and IT and telecommunications. The decision was made at a meeting held this Friday (27) and comes after a strong reaction to the contrary on social media.
According to the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (MDIC), the import tariff on 105 products classified as capital and IT and telecommunications goods was reduced to zero, through ex-tariffs, accepting requests submitted until February 25th.
Furthermore, the tax rate for another 15 IT products was maintained at previous levelswhich includes smartphones. On Wednesday, Haddad had said that smartphones are, for the most part, produced in the Manaus Free Trade Zone, and accused the opposition of being against the differentiated regime.
The changes come into effect upon publication of the Gecex Resolution in the Official Gazette of the Union.
On Wednesday (25), the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, stated that the increase in import tax rates on a broad list of capital goods and IT and telecommunications goods It has a purely regulatory objective and does not impact the prices of this equipment. “The measure does not even have an impact analysis, because its objective is regulatory. More than 90% of these products are produced in Brazil. In other words, they follow Brazilian law, it has nothing to do with this measure”, said the minister in an interview with journalists.
See the items that had the rate maintained:
1. Notebooks weighing less than 3.5 kg, with a screen area greater than 140 cm2, but less than 560 cm²: rate would rise to 20% and was maintained at 16%;
2. Other notebooks: rate would rise to 20% and was maintained at 16%;
3. Cabinets with power supply, even with numeric display module: rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 10.80%;
4. Other offices: rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 9%;
5. Mother boards: rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 10.80%;
6. Smart phones (smartphones): rate would rise to 20% and was maintained at 16%;
7. Routers with wireless connection capability: rate would rise to 25% and was maintained at 16%;
8. Other routers: rate would rise to 20% and was maintained at 10.80%;
9. Capable of being connected directly to an automatic data processing machine of heading 84.71 and designed to be used with this machine: rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 10.80%;
10. Non-assembled (CPUs): rate would rise to 7.2% and was maintained at 0%;
11. Mounted, suitable for surface mounting (SMD – Surface Mounted Device) (CPUs): rate would rise to 7.2% and was maintained at 0%;
12. Braille characters (printer): rate would rise to 7.2% and was maintained at 0%;
13. Indicators or pointers (mouse and track-ball, for example): rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 10.80%;
14. Scanning tables: rate would rise to 12.6% and was maintained at 10.80%;
15. Solid-state memory units (8471.70) (SSD – Solid-State Drive): was not included in the initial resolution, but is 10.80%.
According to the MDIC, the new rates for the modified items were not yet in force and, therefore, no compensation is available to the sectors. Also according to the Ministry, Gecex’s decisions are regulatory and are not determined by the gain or loss of revenue.
*Estadão Content*
