The measure provoked an immediate reaction from industry and retail entities and international trade platforms
The federal government’s decision to impose imports on international purchases of up to US$50, known as the “blouse tax”, provoked an immediate reaction from industry and retail entities and international trade platforms.
The measure was announced by the president (PT) and will come into effect from this Wednesday (May 13, 2026), maintaining only the 20% ICMS (Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services), state tax, on orders.
In a note ( – PDF – 77 kB), the CNI (National Confederation of Industry) that the measure represents “an advantage granted to foreign industries to the detriment of the national productive sector”. According to the entity, the impact will be greater on micro and small businesses and could lead to job losses.
The (Brazilian Association of the Textile and Clothing Industry) classified the revocation of the charge as “extremely wrong”. According to the entity, the measure increases tax inequality between Brazilian companies and international platforms.
“It is unacceptable for Brazilian companies to bear a high tax burden, very high real interest rates and regulatory costs while foreign competitors receive even greater advantages to access the national market”stated Abit.
The association argued that the decision could affect public revenue. Data from the Federal Revenue indicate that, from January to April 2026, the tax raised R$1.78 billion, an increase of 25% compared to the same period last year.
Abvtex (Brazilian Textile Retail Association) “vehemently repudiate” the end of taxation. For the entity, the measure represents “a serious economic setback and a direct attack on industry, national retail and the 18 million jobs created in Brazil” and can “penalize Brazilian companies, especially micro and small ones, that produce, employ and sustain the country’s revenue”.
The entity defended the creation of compensatory measures to avoid closing companies and losing jobs. Here is the note (PDF – 106 kB).
The Mixed Parliamentary Front in Defense of Intellectual Property and Combating Piracy also criticized the decision.
“There is no competitiveness when Brazilian businessmen pay high taxes and the imported product enters without taxation. This harms jobs, national production and formal commerce”declared the president of the front, deputy (PP-RJ).
PLATFORM SUPPORT
In the opposite direction, the (Brazilian Mobility and Technology Association) celebrated the end of the charge. The entity, which brings together companies such as Amazon, Alibaba, Shein and 99, stated that taxation was “extremely regressive” and reduced the purchasing power of classes C, D and E.
According to Amobitec, the so-called “blouse tax” deepened social inequality in access to consumption and did not fulfill the promise of strengthening the competitiveness of the national industry.
END OF BILLING
The 20% charge had been created in 2024 through the Remessa Compliance program, aimed at regulating international purchases on platforms such as Shein, Shopee and AliExpress.
For purchases over US$50, 60% taxation continues.
When signing the MP that ends the tax, the executive secretary of the Ministry of Finance, explained that it was possible to eliminate the tax after 3 years of combating smuggling and greater regularization of the sector.
This text was originally published by Agência Brasil, on May 12, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
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